OTTAWALIFE NEWS/POLITICS/FOOD/ARTS/SPORTS/FASHION/LIFESTYLE $4.95
SUMMER 2020
The Ottawa Police Services Board
SHEEP IN
SHEEP’S CLOTHING Tow truck drivers allege OPP And OPS officers are
TAKING PAYOFFS FOR HITCHES Another ‘George Floyd’ happened in Canada in 2017
HIS NAME IS KORAY CELIK ottawalife.com
Summer Fashion * Le Boat * Toronto Foodie Tour * The Adirondacks
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
PHOTO: WINTER LOTUS PHOTOGRAPHY
SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 22
•
NUMBER 3
16 15
10 23
contents
Introducing the wine region of Istria
14
In celebration of the arrival in Ontario of a unique selection of wines from some of Croatia’s leading winemakers.
Cop Connects — towing kickback scheme
15
On April 23, 2020 three Ottawa police constables were charged following an investigation by the RCMP’s anti-corruption unit. Area tow truck drivers told Ottawa Life Magazine’s investigative reporter that there are more Ottawa Police and Ontario Provincial Police who are involved in taking payoffs for hitches.
Another ‘George Floyd’ happened in Canada in 2017
23
On March 6, 2017, on Montréal’s West Island, Koray Celik was in distress. His parents called the police reporting their son’s state and asked for help. Within minutes of arriving, four officers viciously assaulted and killed him. All were cleared of wrongdoing in an ‘investigation’.
Sheep in sheep’s clothing
26
Over 70 Ottawa Police have been charged in the past seven years for a variety of criminal offences. Not one has been fired. The Ottawa Police Services Board has refused to call in independent investigators and have approved the decision to provide full pay and benefits to all rogue officers.
Kerim Uras, Turkey’s Ambassador to Canada
31
12
columns
Publisher’s message .............................. 4 Best picks ............................................ 6 In search of style ................................... 10 Profile: CanadaDocks ............................ 12 Interview with Huawei’s Chris Pereira ....... 32 Travel: The Adirondacks ......................... 33 Travel: Le Boat ..................................... 36 Travel: Toronto Foodie Tour .................... 38 Travel: Poplar’s Resort ............................ 41 Opinion: Ottawa needs affordable housing................................. 43
series
Police Misconduct: Defund the police.......... 19 Police Misconduct: Rule of law ................ 21 Students First ....................................... 22 Canada’s Public Service ........................ 45
38
— On the Fetah Gülen, an update on Syrian migrants and Operation Peace Spring.
Travel
33
Once the border opens, consider a close-to-home getaway in the beautiful Adirondacks. In Ontario, Le Boat is a ‘close to home but far from an ordinary’ vacation. If you’re in the 6ix, take a foodie tour or for a classic Canadian lodge staycation head to the Poplars Resort.
36
publisher’s message by Dan Donovan
To Serve and protect — themselves he murder of George Floyd in the U.S. and the brutal T and violent RCMP assault on Chief Allan Adam of the Fort Chipewyan First Nation speak to the publics increasing impatience with the warrior police mentality that has become so ingrained across police services in Canada. The growing demands to hold police and their bosses accountable for their actions are because of failures in police leadership and oversight.
The ‘no consequences’ policy of the OPSB towards police misconduct has led Ottawa residents, especially those in minority communities, to become increasingly hostile towards a police service whose motto is COMMUNITY SERVICE. A second and as serious a problem is the secretive, irresponsible and abusive use of taxpayers’ dollars by the OPSB who over the past decade have secretly paid out millions of dollars in settlements to victims and their lawyers for misconduct by OPS officers. They have also paid for the legal fees of the constables who committed the infractions and then, instead of terminating them, allowed them to continue with the OPS. It brings into question the very competency of the people assigned to oversee the police who are supposed to serve and protect us. Incompetent oversight, flawed leadership, racism, misogyny, poor training, multiple disciplinary issues, insubordination,criminality by constables and superintendent’s and overall low morale have made the once respected OPS a shell of its former self.
Look no further than the pathetic response RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucky gave when MPs repeatedly pressed her for answers over systemic racism in the RCMP — she struggled to come up with an example and referenced the disparity in officers’ heights. “Yes, there's absolutely systemic racism,” Lucki said. “I can give you a couple of examples that we’ve found over the years. It’s an obstacle course, in there there’s a six foot mat that you have to do a broad jump, and when we put the lens on it and reviewed that physical requirements test, evidence told us that the average person can broad jump their height,” The OPSB record of failure Lucki explained. “So, of course, how is not one of conjecture, but of fact. many six-foot people do we hire? And there are people in all different How can it be that of the more than cultures that may not be six feet, 70 Ottawa police constables including, there’s not a lot of women that are six feet tall, that would not criminally charged with various be able to get through that exam, offences since 2007, that that type of test.”
not one has been fired.
Lucki’s response serves a general metaphor for how detached the police across Canada have become from the people they are supposed to serve and protect. Her remarks bring into sharp focus the incompetency that is prevalent at senior levels of police leadership in many of our cities, including Ottawa.
The abject failure of the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) to properly adjudicate their responsibilities over the Ottawa Police Services (OPS) is in large part responsible for the cancerous conduct, strife and racist, misogynistic and rapist culture that has seeped into the OPS over the past two decades. I would call them sheep but that would be wrong because sheep have a spine. As a result of their incompetence in not holding to account or firing any of the 70 plus OPS officers who have been charged with criminal offences over the past seven years, ranging from manslaughter to assault, sexual assault, theft, fraud, driving under the influence, speeding, firearms offences, spousal abuse and destruction of property, we have police who act with impunity because they know they’ll find immunity from the OPSB. 4 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
The OPSB record of failure is not one of conjecture, but of fact. How can it be that three constables are currently criminally charged by the RCMP for being involved in an organized crime ring with the tow truck industry and that OLM has learned there could be up to 15 more OPS and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) involved in this criminal cabal.
I’ve often wondered if Abdi Abdirahman might still be alive if the two OPS policemen who so viciously beat him to death on a sunny Sunday morning outside his home in July 2016, would have acted differently if the OPSB had only done their job and responded with firmness to the multiple cases of police misconduct that they excused or ignored in the decade leading up to his death. If those OPS officers knew there would be serious consequences for the type of behaviour they exhibited that day, it is hard to see how they would have proceeded with such a senseless act. Professionally trained and supervised officers would have been more focused on following procedures and de-escalation techniques. The police serve an important role in society and it is critical that citizens have faith in their integrity, honesty, competency, and commitment to treating all citizens equally and with respect under the law. When police do the opposite or abuse their position of trust, they must be held accountable. If they
commit criminal acts while on the job, they should be fired. If they are charged with a crime while on the job, they should be suspended immediately without pay and given a chance to clear their name in a legal process.
publisher/managing editor Dan Donovan art director & web editor Karen Temple director of operations Maria Alejandra Gamboa
If convicted they should be fired. If cleared they should get their pay reinstated dating back to when it was suspended. If there are no consequences for police misconduct the entire legal process comes into doubt and society pays the price. Over the past three decades Canada has become more multicultural and complex. During this same period, and especially since 9/11 the police have accumulated enormous power and become more authoritative and militarized in carrying out their roles of ‘protecting and serving’ the public. This has led to a dramatic increase in police violence, aggression, and misconduct. OPSB Acting Chair Sandy Smallwood talks a good game about ‘progressive policing and diversity and accountability’ but his shallow and insincere narrative has becomes weirdly Kafkaesque as he shrivels and bends to the whims of a chief who thinks accountability involves doing what the chief says. It seems he missed the memo that the Chief of Police reports to the OPSB — not the other way around. Smallwood has rubber stamped so much bad behaviour as a board member since 2012 that he could open an erasure factory given his experience in erasing bad conduct. Even the recently reported alleged rape of a constable by her superior or the news that 14 other women had complained of sexual harassment at the OPS were not enough for him and the OPSB to order an independent investigation. Instead Smallwood went along with a bizarre plan put forward by OPS Chief Peter Sloly to allow the OPS to investigate itself over allegations of alleged rape, sexual harassment, and misogyny. OPS Deputy Police Chief Jaswal Uday is currently on suspension after being charged with six counts of sexual harassment by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC). The President of the Ottawa Police Association Matt Skof has been criminally charged by the OPP and is awaiting trial. Both continue to collect their full taxpayer-funded salaries Smallwood and the OPSB did not even attempt to fire them or suspend their salaries. Decades ago, authoritarian leadership over a compliant force was considered the ideal. The mandate of police was to fight crime. Like most police forces in Canada, the OPS and OPSB have not evolved with the changes around them. The paramilitary approach to policing based on command and control is not an effective way to deal with 80 per cent of police encounters. Society is not waiting for the police to change and are demanding change and accountability now. Citizens are taking the required steps to protect themselves from the people who were supposed to protect them. Police misconduct is now on full display because of body cameras, public access to mobile phones, security cameras and a population who are saying enough — you are supposed to be our guardians — not our tormentors.To make policing effective for society today, we must change police policy to reflect our complex society.
social media manager Kat Walcott cover Compilation of police misconduct images by OLM staff photographers Angelina Dunn, Matthew Horwood, Winter Lotus Photography, Karen Temple, Kat Walcott, Fiora Watts, fashion editor Alexandra Hunt accounts Joe Colas C.G.A bookkeeper Joan MacLean contributing writers Michael R Bussière,
Corey Shefman, Dan Donovan, Sofia Donato, Matthew Horwood, Alexandra Hunt, Cong Peiwu, Tanya Schmitt, Corey Shefman, Hilary Thomson, Kat Walcott web contributors Susan Alsembach, Luke Barry, Adele Blair, Sofia Donato, Maria Alejandra Gamboa, Dave Gross, Jennifer Hartley, Ryan Lythall, Owen Maxwell, Aaron Nava, Rusel Olsen, Mona Staples, Kat Walcott, Keith Whittier social media Kat Walcott student intern Rusel Olsen, Mikaila Cober corporate advisor J. Paul Harquail,
Charles Franklin corporate counsel Paul Champagne editor in memoriam Harvey F. Chartrand advertising information
For information on advertising rates, visit www.ottawalife.com call (613) 688-LIFE (5433) or e-mail info@ottawalife.com Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #1199056. Ottawa Life Magazine, 301 Metcalfe St. Lower Level, Ottawa. Ontario K2P 1R9 tel: (613) 688-5433 fax: (613) 688 -1994 e-mail: info@ottawalife.com Web site: www.ottawalife.com Follow us on Twitter: @ottawalifers On Instagram: ottawalifemag Like us at www.Facebook.com/ OttawaLifeMagazine Ottawa Life is listed in Canadian Advertising Rates & Data (CARD). Ottawa Life subscription rates: one year $48, includes postage, plus HST (four issues). Two years $85, includes postage, plus HST (eight issues). Add $20 per year for postage outside Canada. Subscriber service is 613-688-LIFE (5433) Ottawa Life Magazine is printed in Canada on recycled paper.
We require police who are focused on de-escalation techniques, not controlling, and commanding every situation they encounter. We require real consequences for police misconduct. Conversely police chiefs must be given the authority to terminate rogue or criminal officers. The OPSB positions should be filled with competent people who have some background in the law or criminology and who are not afraid of holding the OPS or OPS Chief accountable. Until that happens, expect more of the same n 5 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
best picks
Earth’s Own Oat Culinary Edition
Earth’s Own Naked Oat
Everything you love, none of the ingredients you don’t. Earth’s Own Naked Oat is made with just four simple ingredients: filtered water, gluten- free organic oats, sea salt and amylase (a natural enzyme). Plus, Naked Oat is certified organic, which means only clean and pesticide-free ingredients for a healthier earth. Suggested retail price: $6.49 earthsown.com
Earth’s Own Oat Culinary Edition For the home cook looking to add a creamy texture and richness to soups, sauces or baking, the Earth’s Own Oat Culinary Edition has all the flexibility of dairy, none of the strong flavours of coconut plus, a plant-friendly environmental footprint. Suggested retail price: $4.99 earthsown.com
Fundraiser for the Ottawa Hospital
Wearing a mask in public is becoming the new normal and artist Darlene Kulig believes that if one must wear one, why not make it joyful? The artworks printed onto the masks were carefully chosen to emulate a smile and incite happiness but best of all, the profits are going to the The Craig Kulig Memorial Fund for cancer research, at the Ottawa Hospital. Made from a two-ply material with a woven filter to prevent droplets from spreading, the masks feature a comfort band to create less pressure around ears and a better fit. Darlene’s masks are available for sale on her website, darlenekuligartist.ca
Earth’s Own Oat Cafe Edition
An oat-licious creamer that is just like dairy! This plant-based creamer uses the natural plant-based goodness of oats to create a creamy-yet-neutral taste specifically formulated for coffee drinkers. Simply pour into your cup-a-joe and let the creamer do the rest. Suggested retail price: $3.99 earthsown.com
6 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
PHOTO: ANGELINA DUNN
Mom's Homemade salsas
Before turning her salsa into a home-based business, making salsa was a tradition for Cheryl Wilcox and her family. Preservative free and sugar free, Mom's Homemade sells out regularly at more than a dozen locations in and around Ottawa. Keep an eye out for their upcoming fourth flavour — Mom's Wrath, made with Carolina Reaper peppers! Visit Mom's website for a full list of retail locations. momshomemade.ca
Must-have summer ingredient
ReaLemon, introduces ReaLemon Flavour Infusions – Garlic. It’s the classic ReaLemon you know and love with a hint of garlic! ReaLemon Flavour Infusions – Garlic will be your perfect cooking companion this summer as it adds an exciting hint of garlic to every bite while taking the hassle out of adding both lemon flavour and garlic to your favourite dishes. Available at select retailers. Suggested retail price: $1.89 realemon.ca
YUNAL COVID-19 app
YUNAL is a free smartphone app that is the brainchild of Ryan Rogrigs, a grade 10 from Ottawa. The app informs people about the virus, how to follow preventative measures, and a built-in AI geolocation delivers custom safety measures and push notifications based on your location. YUNAL includes live alerts and reminders to practise good hygiene by washing your hands. YUNAL also features a self-assessment tool, allowing users to check their health status and receive medical contact information based on the results — it helps you take the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The application is intended for anyone and everyone and is available on Android and IOS. dryan.tech/YUNAL.html
Ottawa’s Trico is making PPE Trico Packaging and Print Solutions Inc has transitioned to personal protective equipment (PPE) with the launch of their new line selling surgical face masks. Marketed towards Canadians, this proudly Canadian brand is excited to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and is honoured to contribute their resources to protect the lives of Canadians. President Mike Hothi saw a golden opportunity to pivot the commercial printer, industrial packaging and product supplier into a position where his team could support Canadian efforts in the pandemic. TricoPPS is expected to become one of the largest manufacturer of PPE in North America. As a leading manufacturing and distribution firm, Trico promises carefully made masks ready to wear at an affordable price. tricopps.com
Michael Hothi of Trico
Melita coffee makes refreshing summer drinks Summer is here so ditch your mug of hot coffee for a refreshing cold pick me up. Melita coffee is perfect when brewed cold, it also makes great cocktails including Cold Brew Concentrate! melitta.com
Riceberry — a whole grain rice that's a whole lot of delicious
Full of antioxidants, Riceberry is a hybrid rice with a beautiful rich purple hue. Thailand produces tens of thousands of varieties of rice but Riceberry’s nutrient-dense qualities and nutty flavour has made it popular around the world. The bran and germ in Thai Riceberry Rice has not been milled off so it is high in fibre and bran oil which are known to aid digestion, lower blood cholesterol as well as glucose levels. Best of all, it cooks up like regular white rice. With an exceptionally fragrant aroma, slightly nutty flavour and smooth texture, Thai Riceberry Rice can be substituted for jasmine or white rice in many meals. thinkricethinkthailand.com
Melita Cold Brew Concentrate Ingredients: 2/3 cup (60 grams) fresh, ground Melitta coffee (we like to use Colombian) 16oz cold, fresh water Preparation: In a pitcher or jar, add 2/3 cup ground Melitta coffee to 16oz of cold water. Stir until all the grounds are moistened. Cover and let rest in the fridge for 4 hours (or longer for bolder taste). Remove from refrigerator, uncover and stir vigorously. Fold a Melitta #4 filter at the crimps and place in a Melitta pour-over cone. Set cone atop an empty pitcher or jar. Pour the coffee/water mixture into the pour-over cone. Wait for all of the liquid coffee to filter through the cone and drip into container below. This may take up to 5 minutes. Repeat pour-over process until all of mixture is filtered. 7 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
A.J. Casson, Frood Lake at Willisville, 1963, oil on canvas, 114.3 x 91.4 cm. Firestone Collection of Canadian Art, Ottawa Art Gallery. Donated to the City of Ottawa by the Ontario Heritage Foundation.
(RE)COLLECTING THE GROUP OF SEVEN A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION January 18, 2020 to January 10, 2021 A new installation of artworks that celebrates the centennial of the Group of Seven, featuring highlights from the Firestone Collection of Canadian Art.
Presented by 8 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
Ottawa Art Gallery | 50 Mackenzie King Bridge, Ottawa, ON | oaggao.ca
Progegenics Cord Blood Cryobanks Progenics Cord Blood Cryobank is a Toronto based facility whose mission is to cure and treat diseases with regenerative medicine such as cord blood and tissue. After many years of research, it was discovered that the previously discarded cord blood is not waste, but a way to treat over 80 diseases using the stem cells found in the blood. Progenics Cord Blood aims to provide their clients with consistent and high quality service. They will process cord blood and tissue within 24 hours, guaranteeing efficiency. Storing your child’s cord blood and cord tissue can help treat illnesses that may occur in the future and can be donated to save lives. progenics.ca
Free IT training launches in Ottawa
ComIT is a Canadian non-profit company providing free IT training for those unemployed or underemployed who wish to expand their professional skill set and begin a career in the tech sector. This free service helps build the technical and soft skills required to succeed in the marketplace. Many of the graduates of ComIT had no previous experience in the field but with the help of ComIT's part time schooling, many are now successfully in long term jobs and careers. Now is the perfect time to begin your education to guide you to the IT career you are interested in and gain the relevant tactical and soft skills that will attract future employers. comit.org
COVID-Budding artist The looming threat of being under lockdown in March, lead our fashion editor, Alexandra Hunt, to pick up a paintbrush and pursue her creative side. Alex’s bright, colourful and happy florals can now be found gracing the walls of many of her client’s homes. Follow Alex on Instagram at @alexhuntstudio or at alexhuntstudio.com
Being a fashion face + giving back never looked so gorgeous “How to mask your face, not your style. As we enter the new normal, how do you wear a mask and not look like a surgeon who’s just escaped from the ER? That’s just what Julie Buen, one of Ottawa’s favourite marketing, communications and media personalities thought just before she pulled out her sewing machine, rummaged through her stash of fabric and got to work. Through friends, she’d heard about Operation Ramizieh, a grassroots charity delivering food to vulnerable seniors and economically disadvantaged families. She sewed for two days straight and delivered 70 masks to be distributed with the emergency food aid. “I can do more than this. But I need help,” she said to herself.
After a second week of cutting, sewing and mailing masks on her own, help arrived. Long-time friend and graphic designer Lissa Constantine created a logo, set up an e-commerce store and strategized. AboutFace Masks then hired local seamstresses who had lost work due to the lockdown to help them produce their mask. As a result, they don’t compete with massproduced drop-shipped or cheap imported masks. They don’t even try. AboutFace Masks are reusable, washable and made 100 per cent local. With every sale, masks are donated to Operation Ramizieh, vulnerable seniors and their families at Bruyère Village and Bruyère Clinic, as well as other charities. aboutface-masks.com . 9 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
in search of style by Alexandra Hunt Follow Alex on Twitter: @AlexandraGunn
These days we’re practically always at home, but you’ll want to take note of these top fashion trends for your next outing. From fabulous florals, monochromatic styles to effortless fabrics, these are the summer trend that you’ll want to try.
t
LINENLOVE
Linen Sheath Dress by Olsen $219
AGNONA
JACQUEMUS
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
Staying cool in the summer heat has always been a challenge, especially when you mix in Ottawa’s humidity. Combat the sweltering temps by swapping out stiff and heavy fabrics for breathable linen. The fabric was bountiful on the runways and retailers have been quick to incorporate it in variations of styles. Woven from the flax plant, linen is a natural fabric that’s breathable and dries much faster than cotton. The effortless textile has been reimagined throughout the centuries. The cool factor of this fabric goes far beyond the tradition linen pant. Look for it in tailored suits, on-trend maxi dresses and button down shirts. Take it up a notch with ethically made garments by Eileen Fisher, Pyne Straight fit linen and cotton & Smith, and Mila. I enjoy mixing in this season’s blend shirt $95 • Banana Republic star fabric with my go-to separates to update my outfits and add breezy comfort.
PHOTOS OF ALEX: WINTER LOTUS PHOTOGRAPHY
Lightweight linen is a versatile staple that you’ll have on repeat all summer long
VALENTINO ISABEL MARANT CHLOÉ BOTTEGA VENETA LOEWE
10 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
t
t
Linen blend shirt $34 • Joe Fresh
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
PHILOSOPHY LORENZO SERAFINI
AKRIS
After being cooped up for months, it will feel exhilarating to get dressed up and bask in the joys of summer. Florals took on all shapes and styles on the runway. From the '70s-erainspired prints like the larger-than-life abstract florals seen at Christopher Kane to the romantic print seen at Richard Quinn, it’s clear these beautiful blooms are the dominant print of the season. For years now, florals have returned to the runways, so investing in a floral piece will ensure you’ll have a solid garment to wear for the next few seasons to come.
Zaidi Floral-Print Flowy Dress by Mango $149.99
FRESHFLORALS MCQUEEN
PRABAL GURUNG
JACQUEMUS
t
LA DOUBLEJ dress • Nordstrom
t
White Top Handle Handbag $39.99 • Winners
WHITEOUT t
White Ruffled Tank Top $19.99 • Marshalls
Wafty white dresses were all the rage on the runways. A standout take on the traditional white dress, they were trimmed with macramé, delicate flowers and eyelet detailing. Riding on the wave of a renewed minimalistic design, white styles offer a softer edge and align with classic and seasonless looks. This clean palette never fails to look timeless and fresh. From Sarah Burton’s linen dresses at Alexander McQueen to the dozens of purewhite looks that opened Valentino, along with more casual examples from Isabel Marant, Akris and Loewe, there’s an easy-breezy dress that has your name on it. Wearing bright whites is the perfect way to embrace the excitement, warmth and sunshine that summer brings.
t
Breezy White Dress • H&M 11 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
summer profile by Michael Bussière
he national capital region can boast T about many things that make for a great standard of living. I’d say easy
sports 220 lakes, starting just beyond the upper edge of Gatineau. Torontonians, eat your hearts out.
The national capital region can boast about many things that make for a great standard of living. I’d say easy and quick access to lakes and rivers is at the top of the list. Name another major urban area where cottage country is only 30 minutes from the downtown core. The municipality of Val-des-Monts alone
For many local residents, cottage life is a year-round love affair with a quick commute into the city. Lakes like MacGregor, Grand, and Meech feel more like neighbourhoods with all of the amenities of suburbs minus the asphalt. Whether it’s full-time, summer time, or a day visit, the dock is the gathering place for families and friends, and the heart of fun for any waterfront property. Slap some lumber and Styrofoam together, attach a car battery to an electric motor, and you’ve got a party barge. You’ll find signs attached to hydro poles about some local guy who’ll build one for you. Unfortunately, it will eventually
and quick access to lakes and rivers is at the top of the list. Name another major urban area where cottage country is only 30 minutes from the downtown core. The municipality of Val-des-Monts alone sports 220 lakes, starting just beyond the upper edge of Gatineau. Torontonians, eat your hearts out.
12 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
fall apart and have to be dragged to the dump. If you’re looking for a dock that’s pre-made, easy to assemble, with a 25-year warranty, and delivered to your waterfront property, then that’s where CanadaDocks comes in. The company was founded in 2006 and produces the only formed aluminum, bolt-together, do-it-yourself dock kits on the market. The engineering is impressive and based on automotive manufacturing techniques. Strength is derived from forming each truss from a single sheet of marine-grade aluminum, which eliminates the weakness of welded joints. The process uses less material, making the dock sections lightweight, eco-friendly, and strong. Each dock kit is packed in easy to handle boxes for quick and convenient delivery. The CanadaDocks provides easy to read instructions with every product they make, there are even instructional PHOTOS: COURTESY CANADADOCKS
videos and PDFs available on their website. A good thing, since nobody wants cottage time turned into an exercise in aggravation (that’s what extended family is for). All you have to do is await delivery, gather together a basic toolkit, set aside a day and you’ll have a lightweight,solid dock assembled, installed and ready for coolers and beer by happy hour. In the case of peculiar locations, an installation expert may be required and is readily available through local authorized dealers. There is even assistance with seasonal removal, which is recommended for docks on bodies of water that freeze over. the standing sections. Don’t let summer laziness stand in your way. CanadaDocks dealers with help with the build and installation, no matter what. No two shorelines or lake bottoms are the same, so CanadaDocks offers a range of products that fit together like puzzle pieces. There’s your classic standing dock with telescopic legs that adjust to create a level surface over uneven terrain. Leg extensions go deeper.There’s the floating dock option, built upon a product known as Eagle floats; another seriously-engineered component that provides maximum buoyancy and durability while avoiding the pollutive effects of Styrofoam that disintegrates into little blue fragments as it bumps up against rocks. There are ramps to connect land to dock, and boat lifts for getting watercraft up and out of the way of repeated impacts in choppy water. Finally, there’s a wide range of accessories to connect, anchor, illuminate, and access the final design. My personal favourite is the solar light safety ring station. Did I mention the CanadaDocks’ product line is also super good looking? The best part is the docks will stay good looking for years to come due to the anodized aluminum, stainless steel hardware, and plastic composite decking, which creates the ultimate maintenance free dock. So, you can spend your time at the cottage, actually enjoying the cottage! Your new dock begins with CanadaDocks’ online design tool. I created a plan for my own shoreline in Val-des-Monts, which, coincidentally, needs a new dock. Like all waterfront, it’s a bit complicated, so CanadaDocks’
Your new dock begins with CanadaDocks’ online design tool!
modular puzzle pieces will provide the right solution once you determine the requirements. Chez moi, the terrain leading to the water is level, but is interrupted by a shoreline of stacked rocks whose average size makes them impossible to move by hand. Once over and into the water, the bottom is sandy and gently slopes out. The goal is to make the transition from rock barrier to lake, and then to get the thing extended out enough to make a running cannonball into the depths. It’d also be nice to ladder in, or step onto the sandy, shallow spots to walk in with a floaty noodle. A large surface is essential for furniture, planters, and social distancing from that one sweaty guy who shows up empty-handed. The online tool is built around a step-by-step tutorial, which is a good thing for someone like me for whom the term ‘idiot-proof ’ was coined. Select the standing, floating, or mixed component option, and the fun begins (and it really is fun!). I selected the mixed dock type, which popped open a set of instructions that prepares you for the interactive visual designer to follow. Once inside, you can grasp and click together individual pieces or assemblages of pieces to make bigger assemblages. A panning feature lets you view your creation from different locations along the handy background, which depicts a shoreline with benchmarks at 8, 16, 24, and 32 feet. Okay, so step one is over the rocks from shore to dock. I select a 4’x8’ ramp, and somehow the intuitive tool then recommends a 4’x8’ section of standing dock, which makes sense at this point because the gentle slope will not allow for a floating section so close to shore. I use a 4’ transition ramp as the first step from land, making it easier to roll furniture or unruly guests on and off the thing. There is the option of stairs
with a railing, but the elevation gain is not that great. Now that I’m out on the water, it’s time to build a large floating surface, and this is where CanadaDocks has a ton of choices to suit all needs. The longest piece in the catalogue measures 8’x48’! I don’t need it, but a cedarlined lake with a mulch-filled bottom and tall weeds would.There is a variety of squares and rectangles of different dimensions. I chose the 16’ hexagon to accommodate a chair in each of the six angles. That leaves plenty of room for a table in the middle. The online tool recommends accessories for connecting the whole thing together, to which I add a couple of railings, a ladder, and the solar post with life ring. Once you’re done, it will generate an estimate. My only question is: can I detach the hexagon and electric-motor it around the lake? Like all great companies with an engaging online presence, CanadaDocks offers real-people support and sales through its network of dealers, four of whom are located in Eastern Ontario. The company provides financing up to $10,000 OAC that can be paid off in full at any time without penalty. The whole process is meant to be as easy as possible. All CanadaDocks frames come with a limited lifetime warranty; as they say: “We guarantee that our dock kits will last for generations giving you peace of mind when choosing a new dock for your waterfront property.” CanadaDocks’ informative website is filled with lots of answers and a great photo gallery that will have you imagining and realizing an easy-breezy dock experience in no time. Summer is short, so get out there and make the most of it n www.canadadocks.ca 13 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
wine by Tanya Schmitt
Istria
Introducing Destination Istria - in celebration of the arrival in Ontario of a unique selection of wines from some of Croatia’s leading winemakers …
— a kaleidoscope of colours and a treasure trove of gastronomic delight
Introducing Destination Istria — in celebration of the arrival in Ontario of a unique selection of wines from some of Croatia’s leading winemakers
erched at the northeast tip of the P Adriatic, lies the heart-shaped peninsula of Istria. If you are in search
of a gourmet retreat, far from the madding "Game of Thrones" crowds, then look no further. Istria is ultimately, and figuratively, a land of colours - a land that the Fauves artists would no doubt have embraced - and its colours play an important part in its gastronomic profile. The dazzling coastal regions of Blue Istria provide a wealth of gourmet treats, care of the Adriatic Sea, with the small bustling fishing towns sourcing the freshest, top-quality, sea-to-table fare for the impressive local restaurant scene. The hinterland is known as Green Istria. A few hours roaming the interior and it will be clear to you why this is. Days can be whiled away exploring the medieval hilltop towns encircled by olive groves and vineyards as far as the eye can see, before descending into the, often misty, Mirna valley, where you will find yourself surrounded by dense forests, hiding their own precious treasures, including his majesty the white truffle. Food festivals galore are poised to welcome you in every season – the locals understandably embrace every opportunity to celebrate the seasonal bounty of their land.Truffle fairs abound 14 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
in central Istria, chestnut festivals grace the hilltop villages, olive oil, wine and grappa festivals, honouring the local varietals, take place in medieval towns scattered across the region, and the annual international prosciutto fair is not to be missed! Beyond the blues and greens there are many other colours in the kaleidoscope that have a profound influence on the gastronomy of the region. Istria is blessed with four distinct soil types: red, white, black and grey. This variety of terroir combined with old world wine making traditions have resulted in leading Istrian wine-makers making an indelible mark on the international wine scene, as well as the colour map of the region. The vivid ruby, purple hues of Moreno Coronica’s elegant Gran Teran leave a lasting impression; many hours can be gloriously spent at the Kozlović family’s stunning winery, sampling their impressive line up of white, or should I say golden, Malvazijas; and Giorgio Clai’s resolute mission of sustaining the regional
ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): The view from Kozlovic Winery. Beautiful Rovinj. Croatia’s Magnificent Medieval hilltop towns.
traditions of orange wine making continues to yield extraordinary results. And then there is the pride of Istria: liquid gold. For the past five years Istria has been named the best olive oil producing region in the world. Tasting experiences opened my eyes (and taste buds) to the remarkable depth and variety of this gift from the gods. You will not find a table in this land that is not dressed with at least one top quality olive oil. It is part of the way of life, a very healthy one, and one that is impossible not to embrace. Is Istria alone in it's gastronomic richness? Absolutely not, in fact it stands in excellent company alongside Croatia's other regions. It is, however, impossible to deny that this small, hidden gem of a peninsula, the one that I fell in love with a number of years ago, is a treasure trove of gourmet delights, and a very colourful one at that n
Where to stay: Villa Oliva is a luxurious, five star villa located in the heart of Green Istria, offering spectacular views and a variety of unique experiences to make your stay in Istria unforgettable. www.experienceistria.com If you are interested to experience Istria in the comfort of your own home... Wines: Istrian wines from renowned producers Coronica, Kozlović and Clai, are now available in Ontario, care of Croatia Unpacked. www.croatiaunpacked.com Truffles: Authentic Istrian truffle products are available in Canada care of White Truffles. www.whitetruffles.ca
police misconduct series by Hilary Thomson
“Cop Connects”
Tow truck drivers allege more Police involved in scam n April 23, 2020 three Ottawa O Police Service (OPS) officers were charged by the RCMP with breach of
drivers who disagree with Chief Sloly’s statement that these three officers do not represent the entirety of the police service. Many say that the corruption in the OPS is widespread and goes far deeper than the three officers charged in April. Some say it even extends to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Many are fearful of both police services and the power that they wield to affect their livelihood. Because of this OLM agreed to change some of their names to protect them from potential
trust in relation to an alleged tow truck kick-back scheme in Ottawa. Veteran Constable Hussein Assad, Constable Kevin Putinsky and Constable Andrew Chronopoulos all face multiple charges for being involved in tipping off local tow truck drivers about accidents in Ottawa for a fee. “The charges laid today are very serious but do not reflect the overall integrity of OPS members nor do they represent what we stand for as a police service,” said ...These three officers do not OPS Police Chief Peter Sloly in a statement after the charges were represent the entirety of the police laid. In an investigation that began before the three OPS officers were charged, Ottawa Life Magazine spoke to several Ottawa tow truck operators and
backlash from police and others in the tow truck industry. Even with the challenges of working in an industry that often sees violent turf wars with cars torched and shots fired, tow truck operator Sam Abadi says rival tow truck companies are not his main concern. For over the past three years Abadi has been trying to get the attention of both the OPS and the OPP about officers giving an unfair advantage to certain tow companies in the Ottawa area, affecting his business.
service. Many say that the corruption in the OPS is widespread and goes far deeper than the three officers charged in April.
Abadi has been in the towing industry since 2011. At first he dealt only in scrap cars but in 2015 he turned his attention towards towing accidents because it made a lot more money than scrap metal. He says that it has been increasingly hard to tow cars 15 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
or “hook” in Ottawa because of police interference.
Metro Towing, but it could also be any other tow company in the Ottawa area with whom they have a connection. Abadi says that what tow truck operators call “cop connects” are a big problem in the city. Different tow truck drivers have relationships with police officers who either inform them about collisions or favour them at the scene. Often for a fee. Abadi says he knows this happens all the time because he has done it himself, a necessity he says if he wants to maintain a sustainable towing business in Ottawa. He says he has given things like money, motorcycles and cars to Ottawa cops in exchange for something as simple as information about an accident. He has also heard of other tow operators doing things like sending a police officer and their family on vacation or doing renovations
the 416 and 417 highways which are patrolled by the OPP. He quickly found that even with no police tow contract According to the OPS they have a many OPP officers automatically went procedure for dealing with tow trucks with Response Towing, Canadian on the scene of an accident. Tows of Towing or Wazzy Towing, blocking a vehicle involved in a collision with other tow companies from getting injuries or any vehicle thought to have business. According to the OPP been involved in a crime automatically Ottawa detachment Tow Policy it is goes to Ottawa Metro Towing, with the responsibility of the vehicle owner/ whom they have a contract to tow operator to decide who is going to tow and store vehicles at a reduced rate. In their car. The exception to this is if the any other scenario, drivers who call tow needs to be expedited to ensure the police should be advised to obtain highway safety. It is also at the OPP advice from their insurance company officer’s discretion to reject a tow service about which tow company to call and if the operator is not legally capable where the car should be taken. When of driving (impaired), does not have asked to comment OPS pointed to their Commercial Vehicle Operator their website which clearly states that Registration (CVOR) license, does not “If requested by the owner or driver, a have the proper equipment, or there police officer may offer advice on the are reasonable grounds to believe that options available but shall a criminal activity will not recommend or act as occur as a result of the tow. Different tow truck drivers an agent for any particular In areas of Ontario where towing service.” there is a tow association, have relationships with police officers they often provide a list The City of Ottawa also to OPP detachments so has a bylaw in place that is who either inform them about collisions or favour officers can call the various meant to keep tow truck local tow companies on a them at the scene. Often for a fee. drivers from racing to the rotating basis. There is no scene of an accident. Tow tow association in Ottawa, trucks should only come to so this list does not exist. the scene if they have been called by on their house just so they can hook. a customer and they must stay at least Abadi says it is very common for him Abadi says these caveats basically 200 meters away from the collision. to be told he can’t hook by the police, give OPP officers free reign to do If they don’t they can be handed a even if he has been called to the scene whatever they want at a collision scene. hefty fine of over $600 for soliciting by the customer. “It happens once a This includes threatening tow truck their businesses. Abadi says it is not day,” he says. drivers with tickets and charges and uncommon for tow truck drivers to even physically pushing them around be aggressive and solicit their business Abadi has been very vocal about these and calling them names. “I have been on scene. However, many operators arrangements since 2018. In fact, he was pushed and called a retard,” Abadi says. are also handed tickets unfairly, even one of the first to bring OPS’ attention “We have no rights as a tow truck if they are playing by the rules. Abadi’s to a relationship between tow operator operator.” wife Amanda is a licensed paralegal Jason Ishraki of Ottawa United Towing and built an entire business based on and Constable Putinsky back in May Abadi says he and a few other Ottawa helping tow truck operators fight unfair 2018. “I called the Ottawa Police and tow truck operators have had issues tickets. “I would get soliciting tickets said you have a corrupt cop,” he says. with one specific OPP officer named for tow operators and they would end Abadi says he knows that this is just Constable Greg Bell. In July 2019 up getting withdrawn because we had the tip of the iceberg. When asked Ottawa tow truck operator Randy proof that the insured called them to about the potential of more of their May decided it would be a great idea that scene,” she says. “I’ve represented officers being involved in taking kick to implement what he called “no at least 15 different towing companies backs, OPS advised that they could charge Fridays” on Highway 417. As in Ottawa in some capacity at some not comment so as not to jeopardize a gesture of goodwill and to get his point.” the RCMP investigation which is business name out there he said he ongoing. would tow anyone who broke down In Abadi’s experience many police on the highway on Friday over the officers are not following protocol and When Abadi got tired of fighting the summer for free. “The dispatcher loved giving tows unfairly to companies that corruption that seemed rampant in it,” May says. “She announced it over they favour. Often this means Ottawa the OPS he started focusing more on the radio.” 16 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
As soon as the word was out, May alleges Constable Bell made it known that he was against the idea. He even called May on a Sunday and snapped at him for having the audacity to offer towing for free.When Abadi hopped on board with no charge Fridays he also got on Constable Bell’s bad side and has continued to have issues with him as well as a few other OPP officers for over a year. On October 22, 2019 a small group of tow truck operators including May and Abadi planned a slow-rolling blockade on Highway 417 during rush hour to protest unfair treatment by the OPP and to request more regulation in the tow truck industry. The blockade was called off when OPP liaison team member Sergeant Diana Hampson promised a meeting with OPP traffic supervisors to hear the tow operators’ concerns.
officers to call someone down to a fight?” he asked. The officer on the phone didn’t believe him saying that none of their officers would do that. On February 18, 2020 Abadi was pulled over and arrested by the OPP and charged with criminal harassment and uttering threats. He is still unsure of what incident lead to the arrest as they are still waiting for disclosure and initial court date due to COVID-19. Acting commander of the Ottawa OPP detachment Staff Sergeant Julie Prud’homme said she couldn’t comment on specific complaints and that they have a procedure that they follow when someone has an issue with one of their officers, which sometimes includes referring them to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), if it cannot be
Former tow truck driver Todd Mills worked for Canadian Towing back in 2018. He says he has an idea why Constable Bell and other OPP officers wouldn’t like the idea of more regulation on Ottawa’s highways. “They’re getting bribes, 100 per cent” Todd says. “The owner, when I worked at Canadian, admitted it a few times.” Mills says he would often see off duty officers showing up to the Canadian Towing office. “You’d assume they were just there to get paid,” he says.
Mills left the industry and went back to a job in municipal law enforcement services because of the corruption and poor working conditions at Canadian Towing. He calls the whole industry the tow truck mafia. “They have a whole underground kind of deal with police here in Ottawa and it’s extremely obvious,” Things really escalated for Abadi he says.
Abadi, May and another tow truck operator met on February 8, 2020 when Constable Bell called with the then Ottawa Mark Graves of the detachment commander Provincial Towing him to meet at the Rochester off ramp to fight. Staff Sergeant Bob Association of Ontario Wheeler and another (PTAO) says they have “He was bating me,” says Abadi. member of the liaison seen problems in the team, Jason Findlay, at the industry escalating over beginning of November the past ten years. “In the 2019. Abadi says they talked about resolved internally. Abadi has filed past couple years it’s gotten much more how to work more effectively with several complaints with the OIPRD all brash and criminal activity has really OPP officers on the highways and which have all been dismissed. increased,” he says. “It has brought the many benefits there would be to everything to the forefront.” more regulation and oversight in the Sergeant Kerry Schmidt of the OPP industry. Although it seemed like the Highway Safety Division confirmed As the result of a panel discussion OPP listened in the meeting Abadi that they do not have any ongoing held at their annual Tow Show in says he was very disappointed by the investigations into any of their officers. September 2019, the PTAO put outcome. “They did nothing,” he says. He also said there is no way that any together a task force to facilitate the OPP officer would be favouring one implementation of provincial licensing Things really escalated for Abadi on tow company over another. “OPP across the province. Graves says he was February 8, 2020 when Constable Bell officers are required to document pleased to hear Premier Doug Ford’s called him to meet at the Rochester the tow company they call and who announcement on June 29, 2020 that off ramp to fight. “He was bating me,” provides the tow service on their traffic the province had also created their own says Abadi. Amanda says she heard him reports,” he wrote in an email. task force to address the issues of the screaming on the phone and thought tow truck industry in Ontario. “Our he was yelling at someone from a rival Amanda says that if the OPP wanted to understanding is they want to clean up tow company. “He was like it’s that fix the problem, they could. She wonders the industry and with the news that’s cop Bell,” she said. “You can hear about why an OPP officer would continue with come out they know it’s not just an it, but it’s a totally other thing to hear it a personal vendetta against specific tow industry problem,” he says. “There are with your own ears.” truck drivers if he didn’t have anything outside factors that are putting pressure to lose. “If you’re not benefitting from on the industry also.” Abadi did not respond to the challenge that then why wouldn’t you want to and immediately called the Ottawa change it?” she wonders. “Regulating Graves says that the PTAO is pushing for OPP detachment to report Constable it is the solution and everything else provincial licensing that has the ability Bell and asked to speak to the staff stems from this bizarre nonsensical fight to take licenses away from tow operators sergeant. “Is it normal for one of your against regulation.” if their drivers and/or companies are 17 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
acting irresponsibly or unethically. He says the PTAO still sees issues in the industry even if a municipality does have a licensing system of their own. “I’m not saying that the [municipal] licensing is a problem, but I am saying that it is not fixing the problem,” he says. “The idea is to have something provincially standardized, so it doesn’t matter where you are in the province, you’re legal.”
changed overnight.” More regulation will also make it harder for dishonest police officers to favour tow companies and accept kick backs which has been happening in both Toronto and Ottawa. “If it’s happening in one spot it’s likely to be happening somewhere else also,” Graves says. The PTAO is also looking at the implementation of a third-party dispatching system which would help put an end to police officers directing where the tow goes. “It’s independent, free of controversy and protects the public,” he says. “Then you wouldn’t have the wild west going on at accident scenes.”
no nothing,” he says. “Twenty-two years later you’d think that we would have gained some ground and had some industry standards, but there’s nothing.” He is hopeful that with the government announcement at the end of June they will finally see some provincial regulations put in place. “It makes the government look good, it makes the towing industry look good and it protects the public,” he says. “You can’t ask for anything more than that.”
Graves says that another thing they will have to look at is regulating pricing in the industry, possibly by region. He says In Premier Ford’s announcement he that fixing the price across the province promised to come after all the bad actors doesn’t make sense because operating in the industry. “We’re coming for you costs are different depending on where and we’ll catch you and we will lock you go. “Fuel is more expensive in you up,” he said at the press conference Timmins than it is in Toronto, in June. It remains to be insurance is more expensive seen whether this will Provincial licensing and in Toronto then it is in include investigations Timmins,” he says. He believes into the OPP and other regional pricing models will not only help creating standardized rates municipal police forces by region is the way to go to weed out all the “bad to weed out the bad tow truck operators, rather than having piecemeal actors” in their ranks, city rates and regulations that which seem to be more but it will also help those who are trying to could cause even more issues. prolific than anyone “We looked at breaking up could have imagined. the province into four to six make an honest living in the industry . . . regions and looking at costing For tow operators just averages based on those (they) will also make it harder for dishonest looking to make a regions,” he says. living, the industry in police officers to favour tow companies and Ottawa is a nightmare Graves says that provincial and the police are licensing and regional pricing accept kick backs which has been happening only making it worse. models will not only help to Abadi and many other weed out the bad tow truck in both Toronto and Ottawa. operators and drivers operators, but it will also want some regulation in help those who are trying to the industry desperately make an honest living in the industry. Graves says it is surprising that it has so that they will be able hook “Companies that have a sustainable taken this long for the government consistently and support themselves business model and understand that to make a move on implementing and their families. Amanda says the their income is going to be relatively regulations for the tow truck past few years have been very stressful stable have no problem investing in industry. He started his own towing with Abadi making an effort to play better equipment and training and company over two decades ago and by the rules and make and honest providing better services,” he says. “It’s he says the industry hasn’t changed living, while also dealing with unfair hard to do that if there is no consistency much since then. “I bought a tow and abusive treatment by some police in the work load you are getting or the truck and the next day I was towing officers who are enabling an already fact that your business model could be for the police, no background checks, corrupt and violent industry n 18 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
police misconduct series by Darryl Davies
‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ is a call for reform
rior to the emergence of the P COVID-19 pandemic Ottawa Police Services (OPS) Chief Peter
now seeing the results of two decades of the militarization of the police and the move away from ‘guardian police’ Sloly announced plans to hire thirtyto a ‘warrior police’ mentality. The one new police officers. He received preponderance of police brutality cases quick approval for the request from in Canada and the sheer ridiculousness the Ottawa Police Services Board of their response in hundreds of cases (OPSB), despite the OPS currently shows the extent to which the police having over a dozen officers on fully are the wrong people to be sent to paid suspensions for misconduct that is adjudicate matters involving wellness costing taxpayers in the millions checks or mental health. The of dollars in settlements. reason for this is that they virtually . . . 80 per cent of what police officers receive zero training when it In keeping with their reputation comes to responding to calls where do has nothing to do with crime. for tepid oversight, the OPSB people are having a mental health Ironically, most of the calls rubber stamped the request breakdown or a negative reaction without consideration. When the deal with issues police are not trained to drugs. pandemic arrived, the ‘new hire’ or qualified to manage, especially plan was put on hold. In recent weeks we have seen individuals die in horrific cases involving people in a mental Contrary to what Chief Sloly circumstances who certainly health or related crisis. claims, there is no empirical wouldn’t have died had mental evidence or data to show that health experts responded to the hiring more police officers equals less call rather than the police. There have Research evidence indicates that 80 crime and it is one of the greatest been several people killed by police per cent of what police officers do has myths in policing today. Unfortunately, nothing to do with crime. Ironically, when they were called by relatives to this idea is bought lock stock and barrel do a ‘wellness check’ on the individual. most of the calls deal with issues by politicians and politically appointed In Toronto, a mother called the police are not trained or qualified to police service board members who police to check on the wellbeing of manage, especially cases involving often lack any experience for their her daughter. The woman fell to her people in a mental health or related roles. As a result, they tend to let the death from her apartment after the crisis. Less than 20 per cent of police Police chiefs ‘run them’ instead of the police arrived. In May, an Indigenous time deals with matters related to other way around. man in New Brunswick with mental crime and law enforcement. We are PHOTO: FIORA WATTS/SHUTTERSTOCK
In Ottawa, the OPSB ignored the volumes of research and evidence that completely disproves all claims that more police are required in this city. What is required is a better allocation of public funds. Instead of hiring more police, the funds should go to health and social services workers who are better equipped to deal with people in crisis.
19 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
SERVICING FINE ART We service artists, collectors, galleries and museums. Specializing in Fine Art framing, installation, crating and Conservation services.
UR OUT O CHECK BSITE! E W W NE
160 Elm Street, Ottawa Ontario, Canada K1R 6N5
health problems was shot to death by the RCMP during a ‘wellness check’ and in June a man experiencing a mental health crisis was shot and killed by the Peel Regional Police. If there is anything to be learned from these deaths its that there is a particularly good chance that if the police are sent to do a ‘wellness check’ their response may be to kill the person. The senseless and unjustified killings of citizens by police who are supposed to be protecting them must stop now and this will only happen if police service boards start holding Police chiefs to account instead of being their patsies. Incredulously Chief Sloly believes that problems will get worse if funding is redirected to mental health professionals rather than police. This simplistic and illogical thinking is directly responsible for the large number of people who have mental health issues in this country who have been shot dead by the police. Most police chiefs simply cannot or do not want to see outside the police box. This tunnel vision is an affliction that is a pandemic among police agencies in this country. 20 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
t: 613.232.7146 www.patrickgordonframing.ca
When citizens are calling to Defund the Police, they are not saying that they do not want police. For sure there are criminals and bad people in society who must be dealt with by the police.There are multiple jobs related to criminality for which we depend on the police. Dealing with gang violence or violent criminals or people is one thing. Drug addiction and mental health issues are a completely different matter and require a different response. Police are not the people who are trained to deal with the diverse social issues that are confronting our towns and cities. I once asked a retired member of the RCMP if he would call the police if his wife, brother, or friend had a mental health breakdown. He said no. When I asked him why, he said they would kill them. Part of the problem is that federal, provincial, and municipal public servants have views on policing and criminality that are shaped by what they watch on television or at movies, rather than from reality and research. Governments must stop appointing people to boards and commissions to deal with police issues who have zero
knowledge, education, and experience in the criminal justice system. The problem of appointing unqualified people to these boards because of their political connections must come to an end. Consider the Ottawa Police Services Board. Not one member of the board including our mayor has any experience or education relating to the police or any aspect of our criminal justice system. This is disturbing because it means we have people making decisions that are not based on evidence but mere opinion. This is the reason policing in this City is in such a horrible mess and there is rampant misconduct and misogyny on the force. Addressing the systemic police misconduct, criminality and racism that plagues the Ottawa Police Service requires oversight by people who are prepared to hold the OPS and its chief accountable. Until this happens, the misconduct will continue. Now is the time to get our priorities right. Instead of spending millions of dollars to hire thirty-one new police officers the money should be spent on hiring nurses, social workers and other educated, qualified professionals who have expertise in areas such as mental health and addiction. These people should be partnered with police and have the authority to make the decisions when responding to people in crisis In the 21st century we need to respond to individuals in crisis utilizing 21st century approaches and solutions. The old practice of sending in unqualified people, militarized, authoritative people with firearms to address a person with a mental or social problem has resulted in the unnecessary deaths at the hands of police of hundreds of innocent people over the past two decades. Citizens want reform and that is why they are calling to Defund the Police. As a society we must send the appropriate professionals to help people in crisis rather than shooting them to death n Darryl Davies is a professor at Carleton University in the department of Socialogy and Anthropology.
police misconduct series/rule of law by Corey Shefman
Stop using the “rule of law” as a weapon against Indigenous peoples
his past, February protests against T the RCMP’s attempts to remove Wet’suwet’en traditional leadership
from their homeland had support across Canada. First Nation and other allies set up blockades on railways, bridges, and public buildings across Canada.
people so that settlers won’t have to be inconvenienced. Throughout this history of Canada and British North America, the rule of law has been used by colonial governments to renege on their treaty obligations.
steal an estimated 20,000 Indigenous children from their families, often to be sold (yes, sold) to white families in urban centres. Until 1994, the rule of law mandated that many Indigenous people be sent to Residential Schools, where many were beaten, abused, and had their language and culture stolen from them.
As the civil disobedience grew and Until 1951, the rule of law prohibited began to affect urban Canadians, First Nations from hiring lawyers to many of whom found themselves protect their rights. inconvenienced in this way for the first time, a new refrain . . . Well into the 1980s, the rule of began. Politicians and the media, including the Globe and Mail’s editorial board, demanded that law enabled the federal and provincial the “rule of law” be enforced. The “rule of law,” we are told, is governments to steal an estimated 20,000 threatened by protestors blocking railways and defying injunctions. Indigenous children from their families, At best, these voices treat the often to be sold (yes, sold) rule of law as if it is a neutral, amorphous thing, swooping in to white families in urban centres. like a superhero to ‘do justice’ when The Law demands. But law is not neutral. This is never truer than when it affects Indigenous Until 1951, the rule of law required peoples that Canadian and British law First Nations people to get permission have spent centuries oppressing. from the local “Indian Agent” if they wanted to leave their reserve or get a The invocations of the rule of law by job. politicians and editorial pages are not simply innocent pleas to neutrality and From the late 1950s until well into lawfulness, they’re self-serving calls to the 1980s, the rule of law enabled the once again disenfranchise Indigenous federal and provincial governments to PHOTO: K TEMPLE
In 1988 and 1995, the rule of law allowed police to murder JJ Harper and Dudley George — just two of the countless Indigenous people killed by police in Canada’s history. In 2018, the rule of law allowed Canada’s youth jails to be filled with nearly 50 per cent Indigenous children, despite Indigenous children only being eight per cent of the population.
In February, the rule of law was being used to justify ignoring the laws of the Wet’suwet’en government, and to crack down on protesters across the country expressing their concern with the federal government’s conduct. Governments of all stripes love to talk about reconciliation and moving forward from the abuses of the past. 21 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
Politicians are quick to do a photoopp where they’re seen to be providing support to First Nations. But when the time comes to take action and give meaning to the various apologies, reports and commitments, those same politicians refuse to act, constantly repeating the same platitudes, while continuing to deploy the same colonial laws in the same colonial ways. When First Nations try to use the law to benefit themselves and their communities, the Crown pushes back, insisting on holding them to the bare minimum, or outright breaching the rule of law themselves.
The rule of law is a convenient weapon for governments to use, as they’ve done for over 150 years.
didn’t respect the ruling, it didn’t honour the rule of law that its own tribunal had laid down.
When Cindy Blackstock and the First Nations Caring Society went through the proper procedures and succeeded in having the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal declare that the federal government had discriminated against First Nations children, the government
The rule of law is a convenient weapon for governments to use, as they’ve done for over 150 years, when Indigenous peoples assert their rights and try to hold Canada accountable. Far from a neutral, universal good, it has been turned against the very people it was meant to protect.
THE RIVER IS CALLING!
22 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
Indeed, four years, and nine noncompliance orders later, the federal government continues to ignore the rule of law and discriminate against First Nation children.
Until Canadians and our governments start seeing the rule of law through the lens of colonialism, and recognize the lopsided, inequitable and hypocritical ways in which it has been deployed, there will be no justice for Indigenous peoples and no peace for Canadian’s colonial institutions n Corey Shefman is a lawyer at Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP.
police misconduct series by Michael Bussière
Harm done. The tragic story of Koray Kevin Celik y dad Oscar was a cop, back M in an era, eons ago, when the violent crime rate in Canada was not
neighbourhoods. This may prove to be a smart move. The relationship today between the police and the public is, like most others in today’s society, deeply, technologically mediated. Cities have become vast, complex things. Officers cannot know, being so encapsulated, that a certain young man may have a mental illness, or that a certain woman, otherwise harmless, may seek thrills by shoplifting. A Zoom meeting with a physician may be a necessity, but it does not replace human contact, nor does a high-tech police car zooming in and out of a part of town from a remote station in response to a call.
2017 may tragically occur again.
Cesur Celik is an articulate, educated much different from what it is today. businessman whose voice cracks with When he joined what was back then emotion when speaking of his son the Eastview (Vanier) police force, Koray. “How are you today, sir,” I asked led by Chief Richard Mannion from him when we first connected by phone. Ireland, my father was not issued a “Please don’t ask me that,” he replied, sidearm. The small force had bicycles, “things will never be the same again.” and community policing was the norm. You could hear the trembling in his Oscar walked the beat in summer and body, when he knew, on an otherwise in the dead of winter, checking doors at sunny summer morning, that he was night, and making sure bars and hotels about to revisit the traumatic family closed up securely and without incident. tragedy that has shaped his life ever He knew everybody and everybody since. knew him. He knew how to disable a troublemaker if he had to; but mostly, The story that unfolded was swift and he kept the peace. I remember shocking. Koray’s parents, Cesur the disdain in his voice when the and June, describe a brutal attack What needs to be clear is that Rodney King pummelling by by Montréal police officers. This is Koray was handcuffed LAPD officers exploded in the their account of the event: media. Dad expressed with disgust and lying face down on the floor in his voice, floridly in both The time was around 2:00 a.m., official languages, that the worst when all four accelerated their vicious March 6th, 2017, and the location possible police officer is that sonwas the Celik family home on assault and never stopped of-a-bitch thug who thinks he’s Île–Bizard on Montréal’s West until they took his life. entitled to enforce the law. Island. Cesur and June were trying to comfort their 28-year old — CESUR CELIK Before community policing son, whom they describe as an centres were closed in Ottawa, exceptional student and athlete. it was a common sight to see officers Koray’s distress was due, they believe, to The fractures that have widened among civilians or walking the beat. between the police and communities an intoxicating combination of alcohol It was the norm in the Glebe, in the and a medication taken for upcoming across North America can only be ByWard Market, and other urban dental surgery. Koray wanted to mended by direct, interpersonal reneighbourhoods until not that long acquire some sleeping medication, but engagement supported by training. ago. The cancellation of that program his parents hid his car keys when he Otherwise, incidents like the one that is now regarded as an error, and started talking about driving. When involved the death of 28-year-old centres are being re-opened in certain he found another set, they called the Koray Kevin Celik of Montréal in 23 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
Montréal police for assistance, to whom they reported their son’s state. The four officers who arrived at the scene were told that Koray was intoxicated.
One of the male officers lay on top of Koray and covered his mouth and nose with his hand,putting pressure on Koray’s back and neck. The female officer was kicking Koray’s ribs with her boots on both sides, jumping from one side to the other. Another was on the floor kneeing him in the ribs. Both parents pleaded hysterically for them to stop.
Koray was sitting on his bed. June met one officer in the hallway, who had let herself in via the front door. Meanwhile, Celik met the others at the entrance to the garage. June recalls that the policewoman walked towards Koray’s bedroom and shone a flashlight at him. Naturally irritated by this, he told her to turn it off. He then got up and approached the doorway, at which point she shone the bright light in his eyes. June was at the doorway at this point, holding her son.
Koray stepped into the hallway. He appeared dishevelled and his wardrobe of mismatched shoes, basketball shorts and a winter jacket revealed a confused state. Despite Koray’s protests, the officer continued to shine her flashlight into his eyes, provoking a shouting match between the two of them. She then threw what appeared to be the flashlight at Koray’s chest. At this point, an officer ran to her side and the two removed their batons. Koray instinctively covered his face with his arms and hands and stepped back. It was interpreted as an aggressive act. The female officer was the first to strike him with a baton, followed by her partner. The remaining officers rushed in and drew their batons. There was a struggle to get Koray to the ground. The disturbance knocked ceramic plates from the wall, which smashed on the floor. One officer then hit Koray across the legs with a baton, causing him to slam face down. An officer then placed Koray’s head between his knees while another handcuffed him behind his back. One of the male officers lay on top of Koray and covered his mouth and nose with his hand, putting pressure on Koray's back and neck. The female officer was kicking Koray's ribs with her boots on both sides, jumping from one side to the other. Another was on the floor kneeing him in the ribs. Both parents pleaded hysterically for them to stop. 24 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
One officer shouted back to Cesur that Koray, "is biting my hand." Cesur, desperate to stop the attack, shouted back, “Koray, please don't bite, son.” Something was jabbed into his side that emitted a flash. Koray became motionless. One of the officers stopped to tell the others, "Stop, he is not breathing." According to Cesur: “What needs to be clear is that Koray was handcuffed and lying face down on the floor when all four accelerated their vicious assault and never stopped until they took his life.” According to the report by the Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI en français), the agency which investigates cases involving the death or injury of a person during a police operation, officers "rapidly realized that [Koray] was now unconscious and did not have a pulse," and that efforts to revive him at the scene failed. He was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead.The final autopsy report attributed the death to cardio-respiratory arrest caused by intoxication. The 911 dispatcher assigned four officers, three males and a female, to deal with one man, who was sitting on his bed when they entered his home. I asked Mr. Celik if the female officer brought an empathetic presence to the situation, as has been recently suggested as a possible solution to police violence, in response to the George Floyd killing. “She was actually one of the worst subsub humans I’ve ever seen,” he replied. I’m certain that my father had to singlehandedly deal with a lot of intoxicated
people on the Montreal Road in the old days. There may have been only four officers on shift on any given night, and so, I described for Mr. Celik what I imagined such a police intervention in a family home would have looked like in my father’s time, informed by the many stories he told.
A single officer, perhaps two, but definitely not four, would have arrived at the door, wearing traditional uniforms, and not paramilitary garb and hardware. They may, or may not, have been carrying a sidearm.They would have carried small leather nightsticks, but not metal batons. Following a consultation with the parents, one of them would have entered the bedroom, while the other remained with the parents close by. The officer in the room would have sat down if the individual was seated; which Koray was, on his bed. The officer would have assumed a protective responsibility to prevent the individual from harming himself or others. The officer would have attempted to deescalate any aggression, and would have avoided intimidating behaviour or tone of voice.The officer would have offered Koray assistance and reassurance. A call may have been made for an ambulance, if that was deemed necessary.The other officer would have entered the room if restraint was required, in which case both officers would have applied their training to handcuff the individual facedown on the floor. The officers would have then consulted with the parents as to the desired course of action. When I concluded the narrative, Mr. Celik exclaimed, “Exactly! That’s exactly what I have said I would have expected to happen! Many, many times!” The Celik family is haunted by that night and the “murder,” as they describe it. Koray’s eldest brother left the country and moved to Turkey. His other brother left for Ontario with his wife, spontaneously and without job prospects, just to get out of Montréal. His father Cesur can only reflect in dismay about what happened. “This is not the country I thought it was. I worked for a big company and set up a lot of businesses. I could work anywhere,” he says. He paused a couple of times; long, pitiable pauses saturated
with grief and stifled tears, in order to regain his composure. “I came to Canada for its reputation, because I thought this was a good country. But for this to happen here! This is not Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, this is Québec, this is Canada.” The Celik family has launched a lawsuit against the BEI, alleging that the agency is not accountable to the public, and that the BEI allegedly acted unlawfully when it published an account of the incident that was riddled with omissions and included extraneous information not required by the Police Act. According to family members who were present, the BEI omitted any observations they reported in interviews that contradicted the police account, and that led to the complete absolution of any police wrongdoing. The BEI never released its full reports to the public. The latest heartbreak for the Celiks came in mid-July, when the Police Ethics Commission (PEC) dismissed the family’s assertion that excessive force by police induced the heart attack that caused Koray’s death. The PEC described the officers’ actions as being "reasonable force," contrary to the witness statement describing beating, choking, back and vascular pressure. The PEC concluded that the cause of death resulted from drugs in Koray’s system that aggravated a preexisting heart condition. According to Koray’s father Cesur, his son,“was a 28year old man who had several medical procedures, check-ups, including surgeries, and was never diagnosed with any heart problems.” It has not been possible for the Celik family to find a single hospital or pathologist (in Québec or elsewhere in Canada) to conduct a private autopsy on their deceased son.The family is now formulating its response to the PEC. The question remains: could cardiorespiratory arrest caused by intoxication been avoided had Koray been handled by old-fashioned police protection, rather than para-militarized police force?n The name Koray means “glowing moon” in Turkish.
StatsCan release: 2019-11-27: Police-reported crime rates, 1962 to 2018
Homicides were down in most regions in 2018, with the exception of Toronto, where the total number was partially skewed by three incidents involving multiple victims.
The rate of police strength has been declining in Canada since 2011. As of May 15, 2018, there were 68,562 police officers in Canada, a decrease of 463 from 2017. This represents a rate of police strength of 185 officers per 100,000 population, a decline of 2% from the previous year (189 officers per 100,000 in 2017). The rate of police strength has been declining since 2011 and 2018 marks the lowest rate since 2001.
After accounting for inflation, total operating expenditures rose by 2% from the previous year, and have generally been on the increase since 1996/1997. Technology and salaries accounted for the greatest increase in expenditures. While total spending in Quebec remained relatively stable, the other provinces and territories reported increases in total operating expenditures from the previous year. The largest increases were seen in Nunavut (+14%), British Columbia (+13%), Nova Scotia (+13%) and Saskatchewan (+12%). 25 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
police misconduct series by Dan Donovan
Sheep in sheep’s clothing. he Ottawa Police Services Board T (OPSB) has received multiple complaints about harassment and
misogyny against female officers and employees on the force for over a decade. On July 8, 2020 Ottawa police officer Carl Keenan was found guilty in a Gatineau court of assault causing bodily harm in relation to an incident in 2017 while he was off duty. Keenan was charged by MRC des Collines-del’Outaouais police following an assault in a yurt in Gatineau Park on December 14, 2017. The victim was a woman with whom Keenan was romantically involved. Although suspended for the violent assault, Keenan has continued to receive full pay and benefits compliments of Ottawa taxpayers since he was charged. He earned more than $109,000 in 2017 and had been listed on the annual ‘Sunshine list’ when criminally charged.
26 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS), with the full support of the OPSB issued a news release five days after Keenan’s arrest calling it a “domestic matter”. At the time they refused to name Keenan apparently ‘to protect the identity of the victim’. Then, using their best hyperbolic tools they threw in this gem — “The Ottawa Police Service does not tolerate sexual violence [or] harassment in our workplace and takes all matters seriously.” According to court records and the comments from the judge, Keenan, and the woman, both intoxicated, got into a dispute after Keenan accused her of being unfaithful. There was an altercation and Keenan pushed the woman forcefully against a metal bed frame and she hit her head and became unconscious. There is video of the incident that was captured on
the woman’s cellphone. In an attempt to revive the woman, Keenan slapped her and applied pressure to her sternum. After the woman regained consciousness, Keenan hit her again. Incredibly, Keenan remains under an ‘internal OPS investigation’ after at least two rookie officers he was assigned to mentor as a ‘coach officer’ complained to OPS management that they were victims of sexual harassment by Keenan. (Before new police recruits can respond to calls on their own, they must spend 500 hours on patrol under the supervision of a coach officer). Keenan is expected to be sentenced in August. The OPSB never once called for Keenan to be suspended without pay. Even after being convicted they did not demand his immediate termination. The Keenan conviction follows a June PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
18 story by Post Media that a female Ottawa Police constable was allegedly raped by a fellow officer, in 2012. The alleged rapist is still on duty with the OPS. Like the Keenan assault, the report of the alleged rape was suppressed by both the OPS and OPSB and kept ‘internal’.
representing the first complainant who came forward, said that “the new allegations against Jaswal suggest there is a pattern to this behaviour.” He said that the most recent allegation, which dates to 2008, shows that “the constable was fearful of coming forward for so long.” None of the allegations against Jaswal have yet been tested. It is not known if Jaswal was involved in any ‘internal investigation’ regarding the constable who alleges she was raped by a superior, or what Jaswal’s relationship is with the constable who is alleged to have committed the rape, if any.
In his report to the OPSB Chief Sloly said, “I am willing to consider anything, including heavier penalties and more direct punishment, against those who continue to willfully ignore and flout the rules and oath of office,” but in the next breath he claimed he’s “learned that heavier punishment doesn't always solve the problem” and will also try “other tools such as mediation, restoration and truth and reconciliation” depending on the circumstances.
The alleged rape report follows the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) charges against Ottawa Deputy Police Chief Uday Jaswal on March 13, 2020 for several sexual misconduct offences, including sexual Sloly refused to say what discipline, harassment and assault of a civilian if any, the officers faced or if the employee of the Ottawa Police women involved are still working Service. Despite the seriousness of within the organization. He The rape and sexual misconduct the charges, it took the OPSB ten acknowledged that it’s likely there at the OPS by OPS officers are days to remove Jaswal as deputy are many other incidents of sexual chief. Under the Police Services misconduct by officers against a criminal matter that require an Act, (S-152 ss (9) a police service other OPS employees that have board may apply to the tribunal independent police force to investigate. gone unreported. to hold a hearing respecting the Sloly and the OPSB have not explained demotion or termination of It is not known if the constable why when someone is raped in their employment of a chief of police who is claiming she was allegedly or deputy chief of police of a organization they believe they can have raped by her superior is one of police service maintained by the the 14 new cases as reported by the people who are potentially involved Chief Sloly. Sloly has not disclosed police services board. when he first learned of the in the cover-up of the alleged rape Neither Chief Sloly or OPSB alleged rape and who at the OPS and sexual misconduct, Acting Chair Sandy Smallwood told him. He has not disclosed if demanded his immediate the officer accused of the alleged do the actual investigation. suspension without pay and rape has been suspended. He has Jaswal, like Keenan, continues not clarified why he believes receiving his full pay and benefits. The allegations of rape at the OPS are an OPSB blamed the 10-day delay on After Jaswal was charged it was leaked ‘internal human resources matter’. COVID-19. Apparently, they are not to the media that numerous other OPS capable of doing a Zoom call. female constables had experienced The rape and sexual misconduct at the years of criminal sexual harassment by OPS by OPS officers are a criminal The OPSB suspension of Jaswal made male colleagues yet were afraid to come matter that require an independent mention of the board’s commitment forward for fear it would negatively police force to investigate. Sloly and to ensure “a positive and harassment- impact their careers or jobs within the the OPSB have not explained why free workplace for its members” and service. Despite this, OPS Police Chief when someone is raped in their added that the board was “committed Peter Sloly refused at first to detail the organization they believe they can to maintaining trust and confidence numbers. have the people who are potentially in the integrity of the Ottawa Police involved in the cover-up of the alleged Service, in the eyes of the public and of After more media reports and rape and sexual misconduct, do the (its) members.” Days later, the OCPC complaints, Sloly was forced to disclose actual investigation. laid its sixth disciplinary charge against that fourteen more women working Jaswal. In total, he stands charged with for the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) When learning of these incidents as three counts of insubordination and had come forward to report that they reported by the chief, the OPSB are three counts of discreditable conduct had been sexually assaulted or harassed required to call for an outside police under the Police Services Act for by male officers in the past three years force to investigate. This is especially allegedly sexually harassing two female and that since 2018, the OPS has important given that a separate OCPC Ottawa police officers and allegedly launched ‘internal investigations’ into complaint has already been filed sexually harassing and assaulting a two reports of sexual assault committed against Chief Sloly and the OPS in civilian employee. by members and six reports of sexual March 2020. An OPS officer with an harassment. (During part of this period, unblemished disciplinary record during The allegations against him span the Uday Jaswal was the Ottawa Police his twenty-year career claims he had 11 years. Paul Champ, the lawyer Deputy Chief). complained to his superiors at OPS 27 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
about the misogyny and harassment his spouse (also an OPS constable) is alleged to have faced from Deputy Chief Jaswal and says that as soon as his wife filed the complaint, he became the target of retaliation including improper demotion and suspension of pay by OPS Chief Peter Sloly. Sloly also declared that unless women outside the police service were impacted, the names of the officers found guilty of wrongdoing against female counterparts should not be identified because, “it’s an internal matter.”
saying “Survivors within the OPS have few places to turn for support — sexual harassment, violence, and its trauma has significant and farreaching consequences regardless of the perpetrator, but can be deeply compounded when perpetrators hold institutional power and public authority.” Darryl Davies goes further saying, Sloly’s handling of the matter shows a complete insensitivity to the victims and speaks to his ego and temperament. “I don’t understand it. Even the deputy chief is basically saying she thinks his plan is a joke. It is pretty easy to see that as a new person at the OPS, Chief Sloly would have no way of knowing if the OPS officers investigating the matter were themselves involved in the
Chief Sloly’s refusal to call for an independent third party to investigate the matter “shows a remarkable lack of judgment and accountability when it comes to these misogynistic and egregious acts by some of his officers”, says Darryl The OPSB should have immediately Davies, professor of criminology ordered Sloly to call for an outside at Carleton University and a recognized national expert on police force to investigate as soon police and police misconduct as he made them aware of the matters.
a May 2020 incident at the OPS. A racialized meme believed to be directed at Sloly was sent out by officers within the OPS.The image shows a composite photo of 13 current or former officers, the majority of whom are minorities. In it, the words “Ottawa Police Service” appears above the photograph with “We’re always hiring . . . anyone” appearing below. The faces in the meme include black, Middle Eastern, Asian, white, and South Asian officers. Twelve of the 13 people shown in the meme have either been accused or convicted of some form of misconduct, and 11 of the 13 officers have faced either criminal or disciplinary charges, however the meme does not note this. It also leaves out the faces of the other 55 OPS white officers who have been charged in the past six years with similar offences or worse.
additional fourteen cases of criminal
The meme was distributed after the RCMP announced corruption-related charges against three other OPS officers in late April for allegedly selling collision information to tow truck operators. Those OPS officers, along with three civilians, are allegedly part of a kickback scheme. The RCMP also charged one of the officers and a civilian with conspiring to carry out an ATM heist.
Davies has been called as an sexual harassment at the OPS. expert witness at police trials and discoveries going back two They should have done this to protect decades. Davies adds that “the both the victims and the credibility OPSB should have immediately ordered Sloly to call for an outside of the force. police force to investigate as soon as he made them aware of the additional fourteen cases of Chief Sloly was rightly upset about criminal sexual harassment at the OPS. harassment”. the meme. He condemned it publicly They should have done this to protect Davies says that although Sloly has only and at a virtual OPSB meeting on both the victims and the credibility of been on the job for eight months his April 27, calling it “disgusting” and an the force. That they don’t understand judgement and temperament so early “overt act of racism” that was targeting this basic principle — especially after in the job are worrisome. “In essence racialized officers in the service. Sloly the Jaswal charges is truly remarkable.” we have the chief of the OPS telling did not address the criminality or citizens that criminal sexual offences misconduct of any of the officers in Instead the OPSB rubber-stamped committed by his officers against other the meme who have been previously Sloly’s plan to keep the matter internal. officers on the force are not subject to charged or the criminality of an He directed acting Deputy Chief the same laws as the rest of us.” additional 50 plus white OPS officers Joan McKenna to create a program not shown in the meme who have ‘to encourage female officers to come Davies says he had hoped a year ago also been previously charged. (Over forward with complaints without fear that Sloly’s hiring would bring the real 70 OPS officers have been criminally of reprisal’. In what was probably the changes the OPS needed. “I knew he charged in the past five years and none biggest understatement or slap down of had been passed over previously for the have been fired). For him, the meme the year, McKenna herself admitted that job in Ottawa and also passed over for was about one thing. Racism. “complainants may be reluctant to come the role of Chief of Police in Toronto forward to another officer at the OPS”. in 2016”, says Davies. “Maybe now we Sloly launched a sprawling internal Erin Leigh, executive director of the are getting a glimpse of why.” investigation by the police’s Ottawa Coalition to End Violence professional standards unit to find Against Women (OCTEVAW) has Temperament and judgment were at out who created and distributed the called for an independent investigator play with the new chief ’s response to meme. They spared no expense and 28 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
scrutinized actions and interviewed more than 100 officers from patrol to investigative sections questioning them about the meme’s origins to determine who shared it. On May 15th Ottawa police drug Detective James Ramsay, a minority Indigenous person of Algonquin heritage, was suspended, but not charged, for allegedly making a racist meme of his fellow officers. Ottawa Police Association (OPA) President Matt Skof told the Ottawa Sun that the investigation unfolded with “interference from the chief ’s office” and that Ramsay was “very disappointed” when Sloly declared the meme racist. Skof said Ramsay is contemplating a human rights complaint against the organization and Sloly himself.
where someone is sexually assaulted, injured or killed. On January 30, 2019 at 8 a.m. Ritchie was shot and killed during an encounter with constables Thanh Tran and Daniel Vincelette outside a drugstore at Elmvale acres. His family says he struggled with mental illness and was heading to a pharmacy to pick up medication when the altercation happened. According to the SIU report, the first officer fired “two, and possibly three” shots at Ritchie while the second officer fired “seven, and possibly eight” times. Ritchie was hit by three bullets, handcuffed, and taken by paramedics to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest, the report said.
2011 incident involving a homeless man. Chief Sloly and the OPSB did not respond to allegations of racism made by Ritchie’s family at the time of the report. However, when the misconduct is directed at the chief personally his response, with the full support of the OPSB, was to create a whole new branch at OPS and launch an investigation, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, to weed out both the person and the misconduct. Yet, when cases involving clear misconduct by OPS officers towards citizens are brought to their attention, they are summarily ignored or dismissed.
Misconduct by three OPS police officers towards Rodney Mockler Matt Skof ’s credibility to speak on is a case in point. Mockler is an behalf of any police or police matters is Ottawa resident with HIV whose highly in doubt. Skof was charged life was destroyed because of in January 2019 by the Ontario an improper OPS arrest and When the misconduct is directed Provincial Police with breach of charges. When the matter was trust and obstructing justice under brought to Sloly’s attention by at the chief personally his response, the Criminal Code of Canada and Ottawa Life Magazine, it was with the full support of the OPSB, is currently suspended with full and met with a dismissive rebuke. benefits until the case goes before Not satisfied, Chief Sloly was was to create a whole new branch the courts. Despite this, he has advised in an email from Ottawa at OPS and launch an investigation, refused to step down as president Life Magazine that it would of the OPA and it appears that costing hundreds of thousands of dollars continue to push for answers in constables in the OPA have no the matter, including bringing . . . .Yet, when cases involving clear issue being led by a person who it up with Ottawa Mayor Jim has been criminally charged. Watson. misconduct by OPS officers towards
citizens are brought to their attention, Sloly’s response was to send an On June 19, 2020 the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition called email saying, ‘Good for you.” they are summarily ignored for the immediate termination The petulant and patronizing or dismissed. of Skof for allegedly calling a comment coming from the Chief female member of the Coalition a of the OPS showed a careless “fucking cunt” in relation to her disregard and complete lack of interaction with the OPS members A few days after his death, Ottawa concern for the misconduct heaped on in the immediate aftermath of residents gathered outside the police Mockler by OPS officers. Abdirahman Abdi’s death in July 2016. force’s Elgin Street headquarters and (OPS Constable Daniel Montsion held a spirit walk to honour Ritchie, The full Mockler story was published is charged with manslaughter in the described by family members as a in Ottawa Life Magazine in February brutal and vicious beating of Abdi.) gentle man proud of his Ojibway 2020 and was picked up by other local heritage. His brother, Nicholas, called news and on social media. The story OPS officers have long been accused for better mental health training for showed how Mockler was wrongly of being prejudiced towards local police officers. charged by OPS Constable Patrick Indigenous people. In February 2020, Lafreniere. Editor’s note: There are two two Ottawa police officers were The SIU report proved controversial people named Patrick Lafreniere who are cleared by the Special Investigations because neither Tran provided their associated with the Ottawa Police Service. Unit (SIU) in the shooting death of notes or agreed to be interviewed as Patrick R. Lafreniere retired from the OPS Greg Ritchie, 30, an Indigenous man part of the SIU investigation, which is in 2018 and is not the person being referred from the Saugeen First Nation. their legal right. Additional concerns to in this incident. were raised because Const. Thanh Tran The SIU is an independent agency that was previously acquitted of assault The officer involved in the misconduct investigates incidents involving police causing bodily harm for a controversial was Constable Patrick Lafreniere (not 29 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
Constable Patrick R.Lafreniere).Lafreniere would later try to change evidence and coerce witnesses to change their statements. Then he didn’t show up to testify in court as required. His actions were in violation of the Ontario Police Services Act. The case was thrown out but in the interim the charges ruined Mockler’s life. He lost his job and had financial problems as a result. After media coverage of the case, the OPSB, under local media pressure, requested the OPS look further into the matter and provide answers on the charges made in the OLM story.
the case and ‘his analysis and findings did not change the original OPS conclusion of the investigation’. He does not account or explain why the officers fabricated evidence, doctored, and rewrote witness statements and were no shows in court to testify which led to the case being thrown out. It should be noted that when Rodney Mockler made his first public complaint on February 12, 2018 alleging that he was falsely accused of criminal offences and had not received disclosure of the evidence against him, he referenced the fact that he had called the Ottawa Police Service 16 times without a call back and went to the OPS station on Elgin 47 times in the months leading up to his trial.
and conducted the OIPRD directed remedies”. It is classic Orwellian doublespeak, both false and misleading. More distressing is that not one member of OPSB questioned the veracity of Drummond’s ‘investigation’ or held him to account for the fabrications, lies and contradictions in his report. It is OPS policy that reports are given to the Chief before going to the OPSB. Misleading a Police Services Board any other Board in an investigation is a criminal offence under the Ontario Police Services Act.
Misconduct by officers in the Ottawa On April 27, OPS Superintendent Police Service have cost taxpayers Robert Drummond submitted a short millions of dollars in settlement fees (two-page) untruthful whitewash over the past several years. As officers of a report on the Rodney continue to break the law Mockler matter to the OPSB without consequence, the city which completely exonerated via the OPS and OPSB budgets the officers. It misrepresented the continue to pay for their legal There are currently at least facts of the case to the OPSB to fees in settlement cases and pay 13 OPS officers on suspension with exonerate the misconduct of three the victims lawyers costs, plus Ottawa Police officers who acted the actual settlement costs. The full salaries and benefits who outside of the rules of Ontario OPSB will not disclose the exact have been either criminally charged Police Services Act, and summarily amount of taxpayers money they dismissed the findings of the have paid out in ‘star chamber’ or involved in serious misconduct. Office of the Independent Police style secret settlements to victims This is costing the city at least Review Director (OIPRD) who as compensation and for legal found the Ottawa Police deficient fees for victims lawyers and legal $2 million per year. in their investigation of Mockler. fees for the police involved in misconduct. However, a tally by The OIPRD is an arm’s-length OLM of just some of the cases over agency of the Ontario Ministry of Drummond does not address why no the past seven years shows it is more the Attorney General and makes one called Mockler back even after than 13 million dollars. decisions independently of the police, 16 calls or why he could not connect the government, and the public. It is with anyone at the OPS after 47 visits. There are currently at least 13 OPS responsible for receiving, managing, and This was also not addressed by Chief officers on suspension with full salaries overseeing all public complaints about Sloly. Despite the evidence, despite and benefits who have been either municipal, regional, and provincial the OIPRD report and despite Mr. criminally charged or involved in police in Ontario. As an independent Mockler’s case being dismissed in court, serious misconduct. This is costing the civilian oversight agency, the agency Superintendent Drummond’s ‘report’ city at least $2 million per year. ensures that public complaints about to the OPSB completely cleared the police are dealt with in a manner that officers despite substantial and proven Requests for the release of all OPSB is transparent, effective, and fair to both evidence of serious misconduct. information regarding all legal fees the public and the police. and settlement fees they have paid to In one particularly noxious nose victims of police misconduct and to In his report, Superintendent stretcher, Drummond writes, “We pay for lawyers representing police Drummond completely absolves the continually work with the OIPRD involved in misconduct continues to concerns raised by OIPRD as if they to identify process improvements and be ignored. have no authority in holding the OPS to ensure that investigations are done to account by simply writing that he in a manner that is consistent with Ottawa Life Magazine has made these ‘investigated it and doesn’t agree’. legislative standards and ensure public requests for the past several years to The arrogance of the statement is trust in policing service. Part of that former OPSB Chairs Diane Deans, Eli astounding. Drummond claims he process includes the review process and El Chantiry and current Acting OPSB interviewed the officers involved in the OPS participated in that review Chair Sandy Smallwood n 30 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
Turkey/Canada frienship by Dan Donovan
Turkish Ambassador Kerim Uras
on Canada, Syria and Gülen urkish Ambassador to Canada T Kerim Uras began his tenure in Ottawa on December 17, 2018
coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of TurkishCanadian diplomatic relations. Uras is the former chief foreign policy advisor to the prime minister and served as the Turkish ambassador to Greece from 2011-2016. Uras says that despite the many tensions in the world, bi-lateral ties between Canada and Turkey remain friendly and cooperative.
students and business people. When asked about the Gülen movement, named after the U.S.based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen, Uras says the Turkish government and diplomats are concerned about their activities globally. Known in Turkey as Hizmet, the Gülen operate schools all over Turkey and around the world, including in Turkic former Soviet Republics, Muslim countries such as Pakistan and Western nations including Romania, and the U.S. — where it runs more than 100 schools.
“Any embassy would focus on the threats targeting their countries. That’s what every embassy does.” Uras says that Canada had “a big open door” to followers of the Gülen movement, and that “thousands” of people had moved from Turkey to Canada after the failed coup. “They are continuing their political activity here. They have their front operations, their NGOs. We call them terrorism 4-0, they are not like other groups in that they are sophisticated and run schools, work in banks, universities, police organizations, law firms and businesses to gather intelligence. For us they are like an organized crime syndicate.Yes, we remain concerned about them, especially after their failed 2016 coup attempt.”
Uras points to the recent Air Canada Cargo announcement to have twice weekly flights to Istanbul, one flight each from Montreal and Toronto on widebody aircraft, Turkey considers Mr. Gülen including cabin-loading Boeing to be the architect of the failed 777 and A333 converted aircraft. He says things are still moving 2016 coup d’état and lists the Gülen along despite the COVID-19 movement as a terrorist group. crisis and that bi-lateral trade and investments remain strong. Uras says that Turkish-Canadians, Turkish students, and Turkish business people continue to be an important bridge of friendship between the two countries.“In order to further strengthen Turkish-Canadian cooperation, to promote rich Turkish culture, history and traditional Turkish hospitality, to effectively communicate our national priorities, and to prevent initiatives that target Turkey, our embassy continues to work in close solidarity with the members of the Turkish-Canadian community who cultivate their ties with their homeland”, adding that,“the embassy’s and our Consulate Generals’ doors are always open to our citizens,
Turkey considers Mr. Gülen to be the architect of the failed 2016 coup d’état and lists the Gülen movement as a terrorist group and have made it illegal to support them. On July 6, 2020 the Globe and Mail reported that fifteen Canadian citizens and residents, including academics, journalists, real estate agents and a part-time taxi driver, had been named as suspects in Turkey's investigation into the activities of the group according.(Uras, told the Globe and Mail that he could not confirm the authenticity of the information, but said it was standard practice for an embassy to compile information about those it saw as security concerns.
Turkey is currently hosting over four million Syrian migrants who fled the Syrian civil war. Last October, in efforts to secure the 911 kilometer Turkish border with Syria and to stop a new wave of migrants from flowing into Turkey and westward towards Europe, Turkish and Syrian National Army troops began Operation Peace Spring against the PKK/YPG and Daesh terrorists in northern Syria. Uras says it is a “humanitarian mission to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across Turkey’s southern border, and to bring peace and stability to the area and to help with the reconstruction of Syria. It is providing a safe zone where Syrians can live in safety with relative security in their own country.” He notes that 80 per cent of the migrants are women and children n 31 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
technology/the future is now by Michael R. Bussière
“Be resilient,” says Huawei’s Chris Pereira he normal operations of companies T and employers have been disrupted by the COVID-19 lockdown, but
hiring continues in some sectors in spite of the new protocols. Huawei recently bucked the downward trend and on-boarded more than 100 new workers at its Canadian operations, and it did so without any in-person interviews. No handshakes, no real eye contact, no peppy lunches to discuss the terms of employment. Chris Pereira is the Senior Director of Public Affairs for Huawei Canada, and he has some smart advice for recent tech grads.
Ottawa Life: Chris, let’s catch up where this series began. How is everything going with Huawei’s project in the Arctic?
Chirs Pereira: It’s been about a year since I was in Iqaluit and the report is that the connectivity is continuing to expand and I’m looking forward to hearing how things are flourishing as access grows, especially in the larger urban centres. The second stage of our Connect the North initiative will take place in northern Québec, but that has been pushed back until we’re able to travel again, hopefully this September. OL: I understand Huawei has been hiring.
CP: Yes, we had a record number of hires in May. It’s a bit of a tradition that we hire during low points in a cycle when talent becomes available. We’re able to do that because in an economic downturn if you’re a public company you are subject to a lot of restraints 32 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
because people are dumping stock. But Huawei is an employee-owned company so we’re able to absorb some pain in the short term and hire people who’ve been let go by competitors. OL: Are there new ventures that require more staffing in Canada?
CP: Well, heavier usage of the Internet is definitely causing more demand for high-speed service and reliable network coverage, which is what we’re trying to maintain right how. People need the Internet now more than ever and that’s one of our core businesses; but more specifically, our research into artificial intelligence here in Kanata and its application to the vertical industries that rely on it. This goes back to our earlier story about things like smart agriculture and what that means for increased food productivity and lower prices. OL: So, new staff was hired during the lockdown.
Yes, we’ve never met most of them in person, so the entire process has been conducted remotely. I think it’s a success story. They are now working in teams from home in well-paying jobs with colleagues in Canada and around the world. OL: Did any inhibitors appear because the entire process was done virtually?
CP: No, but I’m one of the team members who conducts the new employee orientations. It’s normally an in-person session for an hour or so,
introducing the company, its culture, etc., but for me doing it remotely felt strange. I think I had a more visceral reaction to it than the new employees who just attended their graduation ceremonies on Zoom. OL: Any advice you’d like to share with up-and-coming tech workers?
CP: The biggest piece of advice I have for young people is: if you are looking for a job right now, be resilient and have high standards for yourselves and for the type of role you want to find. It’s easy to say yes to any opportunity that comes your way when you’re concerned about finding work, but a talented young person should know that the right job for you will come your way. OL: It sounds like you’re someone they should be talking to.
CP: They are welcome to reach out to me! Graduates are entering the worst economy in living memory. Basically, from the tech sector perspective, this is a group of individuals who is more talented than any one in history, and wanting to make a difference in the world. I think the need for talent is greater than ever. Having said that, the job market for the coming months is going to be more challenging than ever. So, I’m interested in helping them to mitigate the circumstances and find the right job n Chris Pereira can be found on LinkedIn at: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/ cp9058069511
travel by Karen Temple
The charm of the ADIRONDACKS
ne of the best things about visiting O the Adirondacks is the delightful and scenic three-hour drive that takes
you across the St. Lawrence Seaway at either Cornwall or Ogdensburg. The Seaway acts as the natural border between Canada and the United States and spectacularly splits Ontario and New York with its visual feast of rock and pine treed islands and tide pools peppered with palatial 19thcentury summer mansions, Norman Rockwellish towns and a low key easy atmosphere. If you want to get that peaceful easy feeling, then this is the drive. As you cross into Upper New York you find yourself driving through some small towns and pleasant country roads that lead to the six-million-acre Adirondack Park, the largest boreal park in the contiguous United States whose landscape features mountainous areas covered by pines, spruces and larches. Its expansive pristine forests, lakes, rivers, and fall colours and winter recreation are an outfitters dream.
Created in 1892 by the state of New York, The Adirondacks cover one-fifth of New York State with over 105 towns and villages, farms, working forests, businesses, and communities. The Park is also home for 130,000 permanent and 200,000 seasonal residents and hosts 12.4 million visitors yearly. Unlike a national park, there is no entry fee, as it not only contains public land, but private lands where people live yearround. There is a rich Indigenous history here as The Adirondacks are the home of both the Mohawks and the Algonquins who were caught up in the French and Indian War and later the Revolutionary War. You can visit historical landmarks from that period along the shores of Lake Champlain that still stand today.The first European to visit the Adirondacks was Samuel De Champlain, and he discovered what is now Lake Champlain and the eastern border of the Adirondack Park. Slowly, colonization of the area began. The Adirondacks remained relatively
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: View of Lake Placid from the peak of Whiteface Mountain — the highest peak in the Adirondacks. Room with a beautiful view at Lake Placid’s famous AAA four diamond Mirror Lake Inn. Main Street in the village of Lake Placid.
unexplored and unsettled until the 1830s. With the realization of the virtually unlimited resources in the area, there was massive deforestation and over hunting of animals for food and fur. In the 19th Century, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson published works that romanticized the wilderness. This led industrial age barons from the American East Coast to build great summer homes and mansions in the area to experience the outdoors. A railroad that connected New York City and Quebec in the late 1800’s provided easy access to the area for travelers. Enticed by the prospect of clean country air, droves of vacationers retreated to guest houses and great camps along 33 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
Adirondack lakesides looking for a healthful and quiet retreat. As tourism was climbing in the Adirondacks, valuable timber and water resources in the area were be-coming degraded and mass deforestation caused erosion and flooding. In 1894 the State of New York protected the Adirondack Park as “Forever Wild” under Article XIV of the New York State Constitution. This means that the public land is constitutionally protected from being sold or leased by the state. After World War II, the construction of state highway I-87 or the “Adirondack Northway,” changed the face of tourism in the Adirondacks. Tourists' taste for hotel and motel accommodations over guest houses took precedent. The region's brand and recognition only grew after Lake Placid hosted the winter Olympics in 1932 and again in 34 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: High Falls Gorge is open year round. Like a French château designed for the Adirondacks, everything at the Lake Placid Lodge is designed to complement the natural setting — including the bed post! The beautiful Great Hall Bar at the newly reopened 100-year-old Saranac Lake Hotel. Lake Placid’s Big Slide is one of many great brew pubs in the Adirondacks. The peak of Whiteface on a blue-sky Adirondack day.
1980. Many Adirondack towns serve as year-round destinations for those seeking outdoor adventure sports or just a weekend away. Some of the most popular destinations for visitors are Old Forge, Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, and Lake George. But there are many other Adirondack communities that make an amazing weekend getaway such as the town of Newcomb, Tupper Lake, Inlet, Speculator, and Schroon Lake. Today the growing local economy is driven by a younger generation of tek-saavy recreational and outdoors
enthusiasts who choose lifestyle and quality of life first.Tourists are attracted to the area recreational sport, fishing, hunting outfitter, hospitality, and gastronomical adventures There are some incredible local craft breweries, distilleries and vineyards that are making a name for themselves in the region and beyond. We drove down on a Thursday afternoon and our first destination was the lovely and picturesque town Lake Placid known for its popular and busy sites such as the Lake Placid Horse
We stayed two nights at the famous AAA Four Diamond Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa, conveniently located one block from the restaurants and shops on Main Street in Lake Placid. This is a luxury lakefront resort offering an authentic Adirondack experience and has rated Four Diamond for 36 consecutive years, offering both four diamond world-class cuisine and casual dining options, with impeccable service amid awe-inspiring views. The Inn's renowned Lake Placid spa pampers the body and refreshes the mind with a comprehensive menu of services. Make sure to have an exceptional dinner and enjoy a hearty breakfast at the Inn’s restaurant, The View. The Inn has a great snug-as-a-rug pub, and comfy couches that scream comfort. A superb place to be for a nightcap after your day of adventure. The Adirondacks are a recreational paradise and there is nothing more enjoyable than a fall hike through the woods and the High Falls Gorge falls near Lake Placid. Afterwards be sure to
stop and have lunch at Maggie’s Pub at the Lake Placid Lodge, followed by a tour of the Lodge. The Lodge hosts short- and long-term guests and like Mirror Lake Inn is one of the premier resorts in all the Eastern United States. When visiting Lake Placid there are multiple hiking/walking options: Mt. Jo is a steep but short (one hour up) hike with a spectacular view of the Adirondack high peaks; Heaven Hill trail has awesome views; walk around Mirror Lake; peninsula trails (for a view of Lake Placid). We left Lake Placid and took the scenic fall drive to the historic Hotel Saranac which is the centre of the town of Saranac Lake. Constructed at the height of the Roaring Twenties, Hotel Saranac quickly became an icon of downtown Saranac Lake and the Adirondacks region. Following an extensive and complete restoration and renovation, the hotel was reborn in early 2018 to serve a whole new generation of visitors. The hotel has modern rooms and amenities, a stylish open lobby, and Great Hall bar. ‘The Terrace’ features close views of the downtown and the surrounding Adirondack Mountains. Drop in for a meal or nightcap at the Campfire Adirondack Grill + Bar. A block away is Fiddlehead Bistro which is perfect for any foodie who wants to partake in some of the region’s best gastronomy. We took in the play Athena at the Pendragon Theater was the perfect end to a perfect day. In keeping with the recreational theme of our trip we opted to hike Mount Baker and then visit The Wild Center in Tupper Lake. The drive back to Ottawa is less than three hours via the Ogdensburg border crossing. We stopped in Ogdensburg to visit the Remington museum which was a delight. This trip is so close and easy . . . put it on your bucket list! n goadirondacks.com
WE GROW HAIR! Ottawa’s most trusted Hair Loss Clinic offers you the latest hair loss solutions for men and women!
real client Curtis Jones
BEFORE
Show Grounds, the Olympic Torch, the Ski Jump Complex, Craig Wood Golf Course, the ADK Loj, and the Bobsled Track. We spent several hours at the Lake Placid Olympic Center (and Museum and rink) which was also the site of the famous 1980 Miracle on ice victory of Team Mirror Lake Inn. Afterwards we did a walking tour of the town before heading to the Big Slide Brewery which offers 10 house beers on tap, with a wide variety of styles from Sours and Goldens to Pale Ales, IPAs, Porters, Stouts, and Belgian beers. The meals here are superb as Executive Chef Greg Sherman sources most ingredients locally to make delicious salads, sandwiches, brick-oven pizzas, and delicious entrées. There are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. We stopped at several other craft brew pubs while on our sojourn and recommend a visit to Lake Placid Pub and Brewery, Dack Shack and Adirondack Brewing Company.
ng feri ir f u S ha fromss? lo
contact us today
344 Gladstone Ave. PAIHAIR.COM 613-594-5652 35 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
travel by Dan Donovan
Le Boat — Close to home yet far from ordinary
f you are looking for a summer Iwrong vacation close to home, you can’t go with Le Boat. After taking my first Le Boat excursion on the beautiful and historic Rideau Lakes and canal system I kept wondering why I had not done this earlier and am already planning for my next Le Boat excursion. This trip made me realize just how spectacular our region is — honestly, the Muskoka’s have nothing on the Rideau Lakes and river system. Le Boat provides boating holidays without the hassle of buying your own 36 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
boat.You don’t require any experience or license when renting one of their high-quality boats. Think of a highend RV on the water that has all the amenities you would want for an incredibly comfortable and relaxed family vacation.
ABOVE: The Le Boat marina in beautiful Smiths Falls. Jason from Le Boat gives us a lesson on reading nautical maps and goes over some basics. At the helm of our Le Boat rental with Jason making sure we had the technique down.
Amenities include a fully equipped kitchen plus towels and linen for all passengers. Ours had three lower deck bedrooms, a bathroom, an enclosed kitchen with windows and views on all sides, fridge, stove and sitting area, lots of storage, sound system for all decks, television for video movies, mountain
bikes, lifejackets and some water activity gear.The upper deck featured a gas barbecue, sitting area and table.You can navigate the vessel from both the upper level and deck (kitchen level). You may travel wherever you want as long as you return home in time! PHOTOS: KAREN TEMPLE
We ventured out on the popular Rideau Canal route, the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America that runs 222kms between Ottawa and Kingston. There are 24 lock stations and 47 locks on the Rideau Canal. ‘Le Boats’ are designed for easy use and maneuvering a boat is like driving a car! Your rental includes a boat handling demonstration prior to departure, technical support, on-board maps, and visitor information. Le boats are carefully designed and manufactured to ensure a safe and accident free trip and can withstand some bumps and knocks while you adjust to using the controls. Navigating the Rideau locks was a hoot and after you get through the first few you feel like a pro. If you are with your partner or family, they can all participate as you navigate through each lock.
spend a couple of hours on the scenic bike trails that are often directly along the canal system. This type of a boating holiday allows you and your family or friends to enjoy a superb low key and relaxing trip. You are free to choose wherever you would like to explore. We loved cooking onboard and brought grocery provisions for several days.You can stop in the local towns to restock (and most have LCBO or Beer store outlets!), Dogs are welcome on Le Boat too! There are multiple opportunities every day to go swimming, fishing, biking, hiking, or just stop, float, and relax.
Stop in one of the many towns for a tour or coffee or lunch or even dinner before heading back to your home on the Rideau. These trips are spectacular for families and couples alike and allow you to slow down and regenerate and take in the incredible beauty of our part of Canada. Le Boat allows you to experience the true natural beauty of our region with its wonderful waterways, historic picturesque towns, and stunning landscape. A Le Boat vacation is close to home and truly far from ordinary. Le Boat is truly Le Best! n leboat.ca
The smartly uniformed Parks Canada staff at each lock are friendly and helpful and help make it a fun experience. I absolutely loved driving the boat through the locks and being out on the open water of the Rideau Lakes system. The scenery is both exhilarating and calming. We began our Le Boat adventure in the charming town of Smith Falls which is less than an hour from Ottawa and is midway along the canal.You can either head back towards Merrickville and Ottawa or go the other way through the Rideau Lakes system toward Kingston. The great thing is you can map out your own route stopping in the towns along the way at your leisure. Your trip can last several days to even weeks, whatever you desire! Depending on your chosen route you will undoubtedly pass by some of the charming and picturesque towns and lively cities of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Part of the fun is taking it all in — the variety of birds and other wildlife associated with this dazzling area are on full display as you make your way. The Rideau Canal offers a great opportunity for fishing Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Lake Trout and many more! You can stop in the many small towns to visit local attractions or
ABOVE: The Lockmasters are friendly and helpful to all boaters. After passing through our first couple of locks, we felt like old hands. BOTTOM: The Lockmasters at work in the town of Merrickville. 37 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
travel by Kat Walcott
The Ultimate FOODIE'S GUIDE
Looking for a food adventure that’s close to home? Last fall I spent four days eating and drinking my way through beautiful Toronto. Here’s my ultimate — breakfast to dinner — guide to the city.
Breakfast If you’re staying at the Fairmont Royal York — which I highly recommend for its central location and proximity to Union Station, CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and more — a good breakfast is simply a few steps away from your hotel room. Take advantage of Fairmont Gold: the hotel's premium accommodation that gets you into one of the hotel’s gorgeous, upper level suites and gives you access to the exclusive 18th floor Gold Lounge. Along with the views, cozy fireplace, spacious work and lounging areas, the lounge hosts a scrumptious daily breakfast. No overcooked scrambled eggs or stale bagels here, the buffet varies a little everyday but here is a sample of what you can look forward to: skillet-baked eggs with mushrooms, hot oatmeal complete with all the fixings, waffles, fruit, roasted potatoes, quiches and much, much more. For a fun and indulgent breakfast, book a pastry tour with Eating Through TO. 38 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
The Pastry Crawl will bring you to various cafes and bakeries along Queen Street West where you’ll nibble on uniquely flavoured éclairs at Nugateau, Italian doughnuts at Sud Forno, South American traditional hot drink yerba mate at El Almacen and more! The Pastry Crawl is $75 per person and makes for a great birthday get-together or bachelorette celebration. Check out Eatingthroughto.com for all the great small-group food tours. Lunch Lunch options are endless in this city. For something a bit different, drop by Eataly. The Italian brand has locations in cities across the globe including New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Paris to name a few, but the Toronto location, which opened less than a year ago, is its first in Canada. Located in the Manulife Centre on Bloor Street, the 50,000 square foot indoor marketplace offers everything from an Italianstyle cafe to a full-scale deli and you can rest assured that you'll find Italian
PHOTOS: KAT WALCOTT
to Toronto
ready-made food, like pizza and gelato, or ingredient, such as truffles and cheese, you are looking for. Best of all, everything is fresh. Mix a learning experience with good eats by taking a lunch hour cooking class at The Depanneur. This College Street community-driven space is modest in appearance, but bursting with social activity and delicious food. The space is not a restaurant, but a kitchen that hosts various pop-up food events, workshops, private dinners and more – all with the goal of promoting and supporting Toronto’s rich and diverse culinary scene. One of The Depanneur’s coolest initiatives is Newcomer Kitchen. The program supports refugee women, mostly from Syria and other parts of the Middle East, by providing a space where they can come together and cook traditional meals. The prepared meals are sold online, with all proceeds going back to the cooks and their families. I was lucky enough to spend
front of you, an added bonus to the restaurant’s super cool vibe!
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Paties from Sud Forno The pasta counter at Eataly. Wheels of cheese at Eataly. Fresh produce at Eataly. The 18th floor Gold Lounge at the Fairmont Royal York.
If you want to stay out on the town, I recommend Maison Selby. The Sherbourne Street establishment is an upscale French bistro located in the stunning 136-year-old C.H. Gooderham House and its intimate, romantic atmosphere makes it a great spot if you're accompanied by your sweetheart. The menu is full of traditional French delicacies like foie gras, coq au vin and ratatouille, but I especially recommend their onion soup and, for dessert, their to-die-for sticky toffee pudding with crème fraîche ice cream.
some time with two of the amazing women in the program, Nadima and Rahaf, who guided me through a class of making three different types of fatayer — a savoury pastry topped with cheese, meat or veggies — as well as baklava for dessert. Dinner
For your sit down dinner, the options are endless. Head back to the Fairmont Royal York, conveniently connected to the PATH, and dine at one of the on-site restaurants. Reign is the hotel’s flagship eatery, offering classic Canadian and French fare like roasted duck, scallops, confit and more. Perfect if you’re craving a rich, comforting meal. For some high-quality Japanese delicacies, Benihana is the choice for you. One of over 100 Benihana locations worldwide, but the only location in Canada, this is the spot for beautifully crafted sushi, Japanese grilled steak, and deliciously fresh sashimi. The teppan chefs chop and prepare the food on the table right in
Niagara Wine Detour
If you have an extra day to spear, it’s totally worth it to squeeze in time to explore the Niagara region, which includes Niagara Falls and its neighbouring town Niagara-by-theLake. Less than a 2-hour drive from Downtown Toronto, if you beat the traffic, it’s easy to get to and totally worth it.
Trius Winery is a Niagara-on-theLake staple and is home to Canada’s largest underground sparkling wine cellar. Not only is the selection of wines top-notch, but the aesthetic of the winery is a millenial’s dream with some of the cutest photo spots like a rose wall, hanging glass bubbles in the entrance of the sparkling wine cellar and more. This is more than a winery, it’s a full experience, so make sure to book a tour at the visitor centre when you drop by. If you're feeling hungry, the winery’s on-site restaurant is very impressive and offers a diverse menu of like roasted duck and pastas, and of course great wine. Another winery worth a visit is Stratus Vineyards. Committed to sustainability
Start your day off in Niagara Falls with a morning ride on the Niagara Cruises Hornblower for a scenic, up-close tour of the famous falls or, for a more PHOTO: KAT WALCOTT
Kick off your evening with a pre-dinner drinks walking tour by Drink Toronto. Offering six unique tours exploring different aspects of Toronto’s booming cocktail, beer and wine scenes, this is a great way to learn about the city in a whole new way. I recommend the Underground Pedestrian Walkway (PATH) tour. A worthwhile splurge at $169 per person, this 2.5 hour tour takes you through Toronto’s incredible underground walkway system that connects over 75 buildings and is home to over 1200 restaurants, shops, bars and more. Since this all takes place underground, it is the perfect tour for the cold winter, a rainy spring evening or the blistering hot summer heat. The tour stop at various eateries where you’ll get to sip cocktails, wine and beer, munch on delicious food pairings and more.
panoramic view, book a helicopter tour. After that, continue your day with some winery hopping in Niagara-onthe-Lake!
PHOTO: NEANT
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Nadima of Newcomer Kitchen. The Royal York Hotel is located directly across from the VIA Station on Front Street. The Royal York is home to Canada's only Benihana, where you get both dinner and a show! 39 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
HUAWEI P30 Series-Print-3.3x4.75-A.pdf
C
M
Y
and low-waste practices, Stratus is part of a growing movement toward “pumpfree” vinification. This means that from the initial crushing to the final bottling, the wine flow using only gravity., not only does this reduce Stratus’ carbon footprint, but the slow, natural flow of the wine is said to produce a higher quality product. .
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
PHOTOS: KAT WALCOTT
So, have you booked your tickets to Toronto yet? The city and all its wonderful eats are ready to welcome you n seetorontonow.com
You belong here Discover a healthy community and a sense of belonging at the Y! JoiN todAY! ymcaywca.ca 40 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
YMCA-YWCA of the National Capital Region
1
2019-10-03
4:58 PM
travel by Michael Bussière
Poplars Resort
will make you feel like a kid again he rooms at Poplars Resort in T Newboro feature keyless entry. In fact, they feature lockless entry; something that co-owner Becky Thompson delights in pointing out. Doors don’t need locks in a kid’s summertime memory. Becky and her husband Dave purchased the property from Becky's parents last year and are in the process of lovingly restoring this step-back-in-time gem of living nostalgia. Becky can’t hide her love of the place. Her sunny smile and an impressive knack for remembering names give it away, and with good reason. There’s plenty to love here. Colonel By, whose crew built a lock station and canal connecting Newboro Lake with the Lower Rideau, founded Newboro in 1829. The village is home to antique houses on huge properties shaded by white pine and willow trees. A recipe of freshly cut grass, hay fields, and summer at the lake scents the air. Poplars Resort was built in the 1920s. Becky's parents, Rick and Joan White, purchased Poplars in 2004 and PHOTOS: MICHAEL BUSSI`ERE
continued the conservation efforts of what had become a piece of Rideau heritage. Poplars Resort provides rental boats fully equipped and gassed up for those who don’t trailer their own. The day begins at nautical twilight when the sun is just a hint below the horizon. Intrepid early risers tiptoe their way along the docks and motor off to their favourite spots somewhere in the cluster of five lakes adjoining Newboro by narrow channels. The waters are known for smallmouth and largemouth bass, splake and bluegill, and there’s a cleaning station at Poplars’ dock for the big ones that didn’t get away. A movie art director could not have done a better job on the main lodge.
There are the requisite mounted fish, board games, comfy chairs on a screen porch, and wall plaques with funny sayings about old fishermen and their drooping rods. There are cabins and chalet rooms, and an American plan of three squares a day makes the whole experience even simpler. Dinner will remind you of your mum’s classic cottage meals that came with two choices: “Take it or leave it,” meaning a fixed menu with special accommodations possible. Evenings are tranquil and so quiet at dusk that you can relax in your room and listen to the kids from across the lawn enjoying the pool table in the lodge. Places like Poplars are disappearing along the Rideau, making them all the more precious in a world of virtual experiences. Lucky for us, Becky and Dave are devoted to preserving the peace of a classic Canadian fishing lodge. It may be just what a noisy world with too many choices needs. You’ll find everything you need to book your stay at: poplarsresort.com 41 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
students first series by Michael Bussière
uOttawa support staff bargain for a better deal
S
upport staff at the University of Ottawa has the unenviable task of keeping the institution up and running during the COVID-19 lockdown. Office and technology staffers are working to help students, faculty, and curriculum adapt to an online environment, while custodial crews are being exceptionally diligent in keeping physical facilities clean and disinfected. They are the frontline workers of the campus, and central to the university’s efforts to operate effectively in the new normal. The 1,300 members of the support staff bargaining unit (PSUO/SSUO) voted to join The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) in 2007. OSSTF/FEESO was founded in 1919 and has the bargaining clout of over 60,000 members across a range of education-related professions. They count among their ranks 151 bargaining units representing public high school and other teachers and instructors, school psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, and support personnel. PSUO/SSUO members are currently in negotiations with the university for a new contract deal. This past spring, uOttawa administration asked the Ontario Labour Relations Board to conduct a vote on its latest offer made to the Union in April. It is a legitimate but rarely used step in the bargaining process to request a one-time lastoffer vote. OSSTF/FEESO President Harvey Bischoff was not pleased. “This is a grave miscalculation and an entirely unproductive move on the part 42 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
This is a grave miscalculation and an entirely unproductive move on the part of the University of Ottawa. — Harvey Bischoff OSSTF/FEESO PRESIDENT
of the University of Ottawa,” Bischoff said, framing it as a paternalistic stalling tactic. PSUO/SSUO President Marcelle Desmornes concurs. “This is, after all, virtually the same offer to which our members responded with an overwhelming strike vote in October. Rather than pursuing meaningful discussion at the bargaining table, the university has demonstrated an appalling lack of respect for our members, for our bargaining team, and for the collective bargaining process.” Looming over all of this is the Ford government’s Bill 124, which, when passed last November 8th, took aim at a provincial deficit that was a fraction of the now-skyrocketing COVID version. 124 was dubbed the “Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act.” Its imposition of wage caps and constricted bargaining has a coalition of labour unions up in arms, calling it unconstitutional. It came into effect in the middle of PSUO/SSUO negotiations, and prompted Ottawa U to reduce its offer to the union. At issue are concessions and vacant positions.The last offer demanded a cut in prescription drugs reimbursement from 100 per cent to 80 per cent, with
an out-of-pocket cap of $2,000 per year as of January 1, 2021, and $3,000 per year as of January 2022. Furthermore, University President Jacques Frémont has confirmed that the budget has been operating in a fiscal surplus for the past two years. PSUO/SSUO believes this is due to PSUO/SSUO jobs going unfilled, and amounts to an increase in workload. “The employer had a strategy that included going after benefits, but they were looking at wage increases to compensate for that,” Bischoff says, “but Bill 124 was a massive interference and completely derailed that.”The lastoffer call to vote by the Labour Board is being portrayed as a circumvention of further negotiations. “This move will not resolve the outstanding issues, and will only continue to sour relations between our members and the university,” said Desmornes. “We have no doubt that our members will decisively reject the university’s offer.” They did just that on June 26th with 80 per cent support. Patrick Charette is the Director of Institutional Communications for the university. “In a message we sent to our employees [on June 26th], the University thanked them for their participation in the last-offer vote process,” Charette wrote. “We respect their decision to reject the final offer the University presented to their union back in April.” It’s back to the drawing board for both parties, with an assurance from Charette that Ottawa U will, “work with the union to discuss the best way forward. As always, the University is committed to bargaining in good faith.”n
opinion by Matthew Horwood
Permanent, affordable housing is needed to protect Ottawa’s homeless owards the end of 2019, the Ottawa T Mission was having difficulties sheltering all the homeless people under its roof, despite having recently expanded their housing department.
Now, both the number of meals being served per day and the number of people staying overnight have “gone down dramatically” according to Peter Tilley, CEO of the Ottawa Mission. But this is not cause for celebration. Tilley said his peers running shelters in Montreal have seen a similar downward trend, and this is because the homeless are staying away due to fears of getting sick. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 2000 people in Ottawa, has turned the Ottawa Mission’s operations – and the lives of those who utilize its services – upside down. Despite encouraging physical distancing and the wearing of personal protection equipment, the Mission’s social programs addressing mental health, addiction and trauma, and its education and job creation programs, have been forced to close. Tilley said these “wrap-around supports” are crucial for addressing the complex factors that cause someone to become and remain homeless. For Tilley, the most difficult aspect of the pandemic has been witnessing a jump in relapse rates among clients of the Mission, many of whom had found ABOVE: Peter Tilley has been the CEO of the Ottawa Mission since 2013. PHOTO: MATTHEW HORWOOD
Between 2017 and 2018, chronic homelessness amongst single men rose by 10.8 per cent and among families by 13.7 per cent, while declining by 3.1 per cent among women. In that same period, the total number of people using an overnight emergency shelter in Ottawa increased. jobs and housing. The pandemic has led to a rise in depression, anxiety and loneliness – all factors that make staying clean a challenge. “This is hard enough for those of us living with fear and anxiety, let alone people dealing with trauma and mental health issues accompanying their addictions,” Tilley said. Even before COVID-19 hit, the city of Ottawa was making slow progress on eliminating chronic homelessness and returning emergency shelters to stays of less than 30-days by 2024, two key commitments of its 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan, created in 2014. The plan expanded on the successes of the $16 million Housing and Homelessness Investment Plan by enhancing the focus on “prevention and support through system integration.”
In Ottawa’s 2018 progress report on the 10-Year Plan, Mayor Jim Watson claimed there had been successes in increasing the supply of affordable housing, ensuring people got the supports needed to stay housed, and “working to end” chronic homelessness. But the report also found that between 2017 and 2018, chronic homelessness amongst single men rose by 10.8 per cent and among families by 13.7 per cent, while declining by 3.1 per cent among women. In that same period, the total number of people using an overnight emergency shelter in Ottawa increased, as did the waitlist for affordable housing. In 2019, Ottawa City Council responded to these alarming figures by committing to a $15 million investment in capital funding for new affordable housing, and by declaring a housing and homelessness emergency on January 29. Things seemed to be once again moving in the right direction, until a new state of emergency was declared for COVID-19 on March 25, overshadowing the previous emergency declaration and further complicating the city’s efforts to end homelessness. Ottawa City Council has provided $8.4 million in funding to support emergency shelters and COVID-19 Isolation Centers for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and an additional $3 million for nonprofit community organizations. These measures included securing 113 hotel 43 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
ABOVE: The Manager of Addiction and Trauma Services Chantal Payette with a client from the ATS program (which is comprised of all five stages, including the Day and Hope Programs). CENTRE: The LifeHouse medallions, which clients receive upon graduation from that part of the ATS program. RIGHT: A previous Ottawa Mission client who now has a home.
rooms to help homeless families and individuals physically distance until permanent housing is secured. Kaite Burkholder-Harris, Executive Director of the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, said the city has taken a “supportive and proactive” role when it came to preventing outbreaks among the homeless population and providing them with temporary shelter. However, she said people need to be given the option to stay home in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19, and the homeless population is at a higher risk of health complications from the disease.
council for voting on July 15. Burkholder-Harris said this plan keeps the general philosophy of the original 10-year Housing and Homelessness plan, but is more “concrete” in terms of stating what will be required to end homelessness. She said the plan gives Ottawa opportunities to more directly regulate its local housing market through mechanisms like inclusionary zoning, which requires a share of all new homes constructed to be affordable to people with low incomes.
connect them with social supports. Burkholder-Harris said initiatives such as this are an important way to raise awareness of the plight of people who don’t have the option to “stay at home.” Erin Dej, Assistant Professor of the Department of Criminology at Wilfred Laurier University, said she is concerned that if the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ends and the ban on residential evictions is lifted, there will be a sharp rise in homelessness across the country. That’s why now is the time to aggressively push for affordable housing, as “once these housing units are built, they are permanent,” according to Dej.
A $1 billion plan with The ‘Hotels 2 Homes’ campaign calls on the Federal government to help the goal of “ending people sleeping Despite the disruptions caused by the city of Ottawa purchase vacant on the streets and reducing overall COVID-19, Dej is optimistic it hotels and turn them into affordable will end up being a “catalyst for housing units. Burkholder-Harris homelessness by 25 per cent by change,” as the general public and said this strategy would be more 2030” received the unanimous all levels of government realize helpful than “pouring money into just how necessary housing is for temporary solutions,” and quicker endorsement from Ottawa city maintaining public health. than building affordable housing council’s committee that oversees from scratch. The city of Ottawa Dej also said that compared to seems to agree, as it recently closed social services on June 18,2020. other cities in Canada, Ottawa its month-long request for offers and the various agencies dealing to purchase hotels and motels, and with homelessness have coordinated $3 million has been set aside for that in an “admirable” way. And as long as purpose. Burkholder-Harris hopes the plan will the current momentum on is kept up, lead to enhanced coordination between Dej remains confident funding can A new plan to lift people out of be secured and properly allocated to homelessness also recently emerged. the various agencies in Ottawa that deal with homelessness, and better data provide “long term, sustainable and A $1 billion plan with the goal of collection on the size and scope of the permanent solutions” to the problem “ending people sleeping on the streets problem.“The more we can coordinate of homelessness. and reducing overall homelessness by our agencies in a cohesive way, the 25 per cent by 2030” received the faster we can help people through the “There exists a strong, vocal group unanimous endorsement from Ottawa system,” she said. of people in this city, including those city council’s committee that oversees with lived experience of being without social services on June 18. Beginning in August, the Alliance to housing, who aren’t afraid to put End Homelessness Ottawa and the themselves on the line and fight,” Dej The plan, which so far calls for $600 city will launch a week-long “Housing said. “Ottawa has what it takes to be million to develop between 3,000 and Blitz” campaign to rapidly house a leader in preventing and ultimately 5,700 new housing units over the next vulnerable people in vacant units and ending homelessness.”n 10 years, will be presented to the City 44 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
public service series part III by Michael R. Bussière
A GUIDE TO GOLDBERGIAN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN
Canada’s public service
vidence indicates that the federal E public service has been quietly moving away from the classical
bureaucratic management theory of Max Weber. According to Weber, the hierarchical, rational approach to management is preferable to whims and the irrational emotions and predilections of managers. But, if present-day practices are any indication, Weber’s theories are being relegated to the junk bin of obsolescence. Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg (18831970) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist whose depictions of elaborate, pointless machines made him a wry commentator of bureaucratic structures. Have Weber’s principles been slowly phased out in favour of the Goldbergian machine paradigm? Gone, it seems, are the anachronistic anchors of Weberianstyle bureaucracy: the proper division of labour (silos); chain of command (top-down authority); separation of personal and professional time and property (home is home, and work
is work); the application of clear and consistent rules (this is the way it’s done), and; selection and promotion based on qualifications (meritocracy).
Contracting and consultants: Six
women from Rideau Hall attended a meeting to receive the winner of a national jewellery design competition. A contract was issued to commission a new product for recipients of Poking fun at the public service is as a prestigious award. Entry in this easy as ribbing a postie because an national competition was voluntary; Xmas card arrived in August. It’s really implying, according to Goldbergian not that person’s fault, but you can’t help but wonder how it happened. theory, that the winner should have assumed that a contract is both a Think of the classic, 3-dimensional Mouse Trap kids’ game from the 1960s, contract and not a contract. It is a Zen koan. The six women representing the and you’ll understand why Goldberg is GG could modify, convolute, or scuttle the new patron saint of bureaucracy. His the invitee’s attempt to complete the portrait should be emblazoned on the commission without warning or good ‘Welcome to Ottawa’ sign. It is worth manners. And don’t expect a plausible exploring some of the evidence. explanation. Said invitee, operating under the obsolete Weberian model, Think of the classic, wrongly assumed that a national call for submissions meant that the project 3-dimensional Mouse Trap kids’ was serious, warranted the effort and game from the 1960s, and you’ll expense, and was more than a digthe-ditch/fill-the-ditch time filler for understand why Goldberg six women and Canada’s professional is the new patron saint of community of creative hobos.
bureaucracy.
In fairness to the six, Rideau Hall 45 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
is a battleground, and one of the most stressful work environments a Canadian can endure, ranking closely behind landmine removal. No wonder it took six of them to commission a piece of jewellery; coincidentally, the same number of commanders it took to plan D-day; one for each beach, plus one extra in case General Eisenhower decided to take a ‘me’ day. Said jewellery invitee needs to take the soaring levels of PTSD at Rideau Hall into account, and accept that there are only so many canapés that any one GG staffer can consume before the debilitating effects make it impossible to return a phone call or pay an outstanding invoice. Nevertheless, what lowly Canadian artist, invitation in hand, wants to have the Vice-Regal front door slammed in the face? Next time, study Goldberg before you sign a government contract, and remember; it’s not about deliverables, it’s about the mouse trap. Public Service training programs: Canada’s public service
public servant thinking as one would think design kitchen appliances or jargon. Think design facilitators work closely with public servants whose business cards read “Multi stakeholder agent of change” in both official languages and braille. Team-building exercise: n. meaning, wear your favourite hockey team jersey or bring your favouritest stuffed animal to a golf course for a day-long retreat, led by high-billing mindfulness experts who will teach you to eat a meal as the French do, mindful of every bite, followed by warrior yoga, all in preparation for a sharing session that will help you identify your inner animal guide. Office efficiency will improve dramatically knowing the ‘otters’ are good at ‘offlish’ and the skunks should refrain from ‘othering’.
applying heuristic, trial-and-error, methods depicted by Goldberg himself. Come up with the most convoluted, elaborate scheme to achieve the simplest solution. All it takes is a bottomless pit of money, endless public consultation to ensure transparency, and a few sticks of dynamite in 25 years when the sidewalks still roll up. Everybody feels included; nobody gets blamed. Goldberg. Perhaps there is a more efficient use for that stick of dynamite.
Hiring practices: Apply for a job these days and you might be handed a diversity survey think designed to inform managers of an applicant’s inborn qualifications. Traditional cultural knowledge is deeply valued in a Goldbergian public service. For example, a person of Lebanese/ Phoenician descent (i.e. moi) naturally possesses hereditary knowledge of the phonetic alphabet It took six of them (bureaucrats) and systems that use Arabic numerals, to commission a piece of jewellery; and is therefore perfectly suited to virtually any job that requires using coincidentally, the same number a keyboard.
is a world leader in applied language of commanders it took to plan D-day; training, but the Weberian view of language is that of a utility meant one for each beach, plus one extra For the first time since 1967, there for the efficient communication is once again a place for the state in case General Eisenhower of ideas, orders, and policies. The in the bedrooms of the nation. vocabularies of Dickens and Molière Another survey in circulation decided to take a ‘me’ day. leave little room for whimsy, and delves into a prospective employee’s cannot accommodate new, ephemeral preferred intimate partner type(s); Project management: Sparks (or, concepts pertinent to the 21st century a line of inquiry that would offend Here-we-go-again) Street rolls up any applicant from a more traditional workplace. Here are four definitions its sidewalks like everywhere else in culture, whose face would turn purple of commonly used terminology town; but, for some reason, Sparks by such blunt nosiness. Even Joan that assume no responsibility for sidewalks should be twirling with Rivers would blush. Such an applicant clarification: care-free exoticism night and day. The may also have difficulty selecting from Othering: v.meaning,to imply,through problem is that a significant portion the 11 gender identities, nine more words, actions, or private thoughts that of the buildings on this once-vibrant than anyone from off-world was ever another is another other than oneself, shopping street are now occupied by taught by their parents. Edification is according to oneself ’s identity or sense stuffy, lifeless federal agencies of little not provided for those wishing to keep of selfness, or; in the case of someone or no interest to the general public, like abreast of the gender zeitgeist.The HR else who sees themselves as the other the Library of Parliament or the CBC. person who put it all together will refer oneself rather than themselves. No wonder it takes chili poutine to you to the webpage from which he/ liven the place up. she/singular-they copied and pasted Offlish: n. meaning, bureaucratic to create the survey. New Canadians, jargon, or jargon for jargon.To confuse, But more must be done, like new if you feel excluded from the inclusion to ‘other’ by employing jargon to refer benches and fountains; a brilliant (or ‘othered’), you should get with the to jargon. solution resulting from think design Goldberg program. It’s all meant to by the NCC and the City of Ottawa make for a better public service. n Think design: n. meaning, to design thinking for the purpose of improving This article was written for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to situations, thinking design. To apply design practices employed in industrial design persons, or other living things you may have encountered within the Public Service of to bureaucratic practices, as in; think of Canada, its management, or subsidiary agencies is purely in your mind 46 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
It’s a clean, reliable and affordable energy source that powers our homes and businesses.
